The Muted Bravado of a SMG

meme

2010-02-11T10:35:00.003+08:00

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? nope. though my parents did toy with the idea of naming me "Tony" after our illustrious ex-DPM. i just ended up with no ang moh mia, which suits me.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Can't quite remember. Maybe teared a bit at the ultra-sad first bit of Up, haha.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? naw, someone said it looks like ants crawling on paper and i tend to agree.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? something unhealthy and preserved. like corned beef mmmm.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? nope

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? hell yea

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? yup

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yup

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? hell no. parachute, yes. paraglide, yes. trusting my life to a dinky rubber cord? no way.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? bran flakes.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? nope, lazy.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? haagen daaz macadamia nut.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? the smile, probably. ironic since i don't smile much.

15. RED OR PINK? hot pink

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my laziness

17. WHOM DO YOU MISS THE MOST? old friends i'm out of touch with? my girlfriend when shes not with me?

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? not really

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? blue (scrubs) pants, brown shoes

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? usual dental centre muzak.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? ultramarine

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? fresh laundry, fresh bread, olive oil, frying garlic

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? victor fan about a consult.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? stole this from milly, and yea why not. haha

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? formula 1, tennis, world cup (which we probably won't get to watch now)

27. HAIR COLOR? black with white hair from much use of brain

28. EYE COLOR? dark brown, i guess. no one actually has black irises.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? not usually, no.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? curry! girlfriend's fried maggi goreng. roast chicken (JD style). most foods that i cook hahahaha why cook foods i don't like to eat.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy endings

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? astroboy, on a dvd

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? blue (scrubs)

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? winter, as long as i don't need to wade in snow.

35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? no one

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? anyone

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? waiting to get the latest from Robert Jordan's WoT

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? nothing.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? didn't watch TV.

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? crackling of roast pork

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? beatles

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? canada, i guess

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? semi-talented cook, semi-talented guitarist, semi-talented fisherman

46 WHERE WERE U BORN? KKH.

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? anything la. i'm just bored. but being bored is good and should be treasured.

I've always wondered..

2009-01-15T21:35:00.001+08:00

http://www.antipodr.com/

.. and now i know.

(equador??!)

Buangkok

2009-01-07T22:13:00.002+08:00

I remember laughing uproariously once, when an acquaintance told me where she stayed. Its the name, see, like Bangkok but with more local flavour.

Anyway. Kampong Lorong Buangkok. So we're going to lose our last kampong. I haven't been there, never seen a real kampong. And I thoroughly enjoy my house with all its modern amenities. Still.. theres something sad about that, isn't it?

But sentiment has no place in our Singapore, of course.

Documentary Part 1

Documentary Part 2

Documentary Part 3

Maybe.. life could be simpler, I think.

JD and Joanne in Perth!

2008-12-09T18:38:00.002+08:00

Day 1:

Touchdown. Uncle Gary picked us up and brought us to his home. Many changes since I was last here. The aviary is doing great, birds are beautiful and noisy as heck. The garden is amazing, lemon tree with boughs full of fruit, huge zucchini, a massive rosemary bush, rows of beets, and the most amazing garlic in the world! Its totally Jamie at Home, I swear. And the garlic is incredible! I'm totally going to bring a bunch home. Had a brilliant aussie BBQ for dinner: Lamb rump steaks marinated with JD's spicy rub (sounds wrong) and rosemary fresh from the garden, herb and garlic sausages from Woolies, grilled eggplant (from the garden), fried onions, and salad. Amazing. Too bad Joanne was feeling a little ill from too much vino too early in the day!

Day 2:

Uncle Gary's van that I was supposed to use broke down =( So we'll be relying on pedal power for the next couple of days. Bought a 2nd hand mountain bike for 65 bucks and a helmet for 17 from pawnshops. Pedaled around a lot. We got really tired and bumsore.. haha. The ride was really enjoyable otherwise though, cool and fresh air and lovely scenery. Shopped around at Rockingham shopping centre, Joanne cooked a brilliant spicy aglio olio for dinner (with the world's best organic garlic), and yummy chipolata sausages. Mmm! Then, repaired the bike a little and prepared for the fishing trip the next day!

Day 3:

Woke up early, pedalled really far to Point Peron, climbed across the crumbling precipitous rocks, and started fishing. Total tally at the end of the morning: 3 herring, 1 buff bream, 3 rock cods (2 were babies, released), 1 garfish, 10 blowfish (left to perish on the rocks). Not a brilliant day but not too bad either! Joanne hated the ride and climb though cos it was tiring. Haha.

(to be continued.... and photofied..)

Scent of flowers wafting

2008-09-25T21:39:00.003+08:00

One of my main complaints of dental school, is that it saps up so much time+energy+concentration+life-force, just to avoid being sucked under the waves. What we learn is not extremely challenging nor extremely engaging, just that it all comes in a veritable torrent. From week 1 to week 9 of each term its a struggle to stay afloat in a flood of academic, clinical and patient demands.

Which only makes me appreciate holidays that much more! =)

"See the wretch, that long has tost

On the thorny bed of pain,

At length repair his vigour lost,

And breathe, and walk again:

The meanest flow'ret of the vale,

The simplest note that swells the gale,

The common sun, the air, the skies,

To him are opening Paradise."

- from "Ode On The Pleasure Arising From Vicissitude " by Thomas Gray

This holidays, I went for a short vacation to KL and Penang with Joanne, Wyelynn and Yi Lin. It was a pretty good trip =) While it didn't -really- feel like travelling because, lets face it, Malaysia isn't that far different from Singapore, it was nice to just hang out the whole day without a single serious thought crossing my mind. Not to mention having food glorious food as the sole aim of each day. And the girls are good travel buddies too! But next time, somewhere further alright? Haha. And I feel so blessed to have Joanne by my side. The trip was to a large part her idea, as was the itinerary. Its good to have a capable, intelligent girlfriend thats cute to boot =) Think this is our 4th trip together overseas (excluding Johor), and its always the best. Love you, dear!

So its just 3 more days to school, now. The final stretch, the end is in sight (the Chariots of Fire theme is running through my head now, no kidding). Most of my lady friends are already working, and finally us men will be joining them. Its about damn time! Though I do wonder how things will change when work starts, how my life, my habits, my worldview will differ... Not much, I suspect. Haha. Well, all the best to those of you looking for jobs now, and to the fortunate ones who've already had good offers, my heartfelt congratulations.

24th Birthday

2008-08-04T19:09:00.005+08:00

Had a nice quiet muted birthday celebration with lots of food at imperial treasure cilantro hanabi sucklingpigroastduckathome. Maybe I'm outgrowing the big parties, haha. But life is good when you get to pig out and then chill out =)

Many thanks goes out to: my darling girlfriend, my family, uncle Peter and auntie Faith, Lewis, Yilin, Wyelynn, Tony, Jinming, Kevin, Louis, Emilia, Lester, Ben, Dephne, Yee Leng, Aaron, Estee and Eileen for the (on-time) birthday wishes. And thanks to all for the belated ones too!

I promise to throw a bash after I get all my work out of the way. Haha. If not, theres always next year! Cheers!

To my immense regret

2008-07-10T23:36:00.002+08:00

Sometimes life isn't what its cracked out to be.

Exams over, holidays here

2008-03-24T00:25:00.003+08:00

Holidays are here, and are perfect as always, though never as long as can be hoped for. Setting aside time to do absolutely nothing, of course. Anyway, veal marrow is Anthony Bourdain's favourite dish, and its pretty good! Ridiculously decadent, though. Not for everyday eating, thats for sure. (Actually did this before the exams, but well =p)

Watch out for mouldy Toblerones! Scary. Jo and I ate a few and had upset stomachs after.

My hydroponic set! I was planning to grow herbs, but was dissuaded by the farmer-fella. He recommended I try hydroponics, and since I've always been semi-interested in agrotechnology, I thought I'd give it a shot. Pretty interesting. Could've bought lots if herbs for the cost though, as Joanne pointed out. Oh and she got a pot of mint. Haha.

A flying crane at One Tree Hill. At Penang Hawker's buffet at York Hotel. Pretty good, cheaper than taking a trip up to Penang.

Joanne's brother's dog, Snuffles. A tiny dog-shaped package of joyeous hyperactivity. Note to self: Do not visit dogs after manhandling and marinating meat the whole day. (For the boeuf bourguignon as seen below, and also for stock for french onion soup)

Dinner with my family and my sister's friends. Thats a fork-tender, steamed then deep-fried duck, to be eaten with springroll skins and cucumber and shallots a la peking duck. Pretty good =)

Louis and Ben playing Wii at my place, after a brilliant dinner at Bedok South hawker centre. Good fun! 11 years and counting of good conversation, gaming, friendship.

My house @ Greenfield Drive (edited)

2008-03-10T20:29:00.001+08:00

Oh some pictures of my house, for all of you guys who've been asking.

Poolview from west

Poolview from east

View from my balcony at night

Nice, no? =) Makes me not want to get out of the house anymore. Who really needs One Rochester, anyway? Haha.

240308: Couple of new photos below.

Front of house

Front living room

Dining room

Pictures.. all gone!!

2008-03-10T19:11:00.002+08:00

Just realised stupid imageshack has crashed and all my template pictures (plus everything else i suppose) is gone, including my beautiful custom template header above. Picasa seems to host the pictures fine, but i can't get it to show properly. I'll just have to figure it out, I suppose.

(And I'm in the middle of my exams! I should really be studying. JD, finding new ways of wasting time every day!)

EDIT 14/03/08: Blog header is up, kindly hosted by Google pages! Google is taking over our lives, and I'm loving it. Thanks to Louis for the heads up =)

Sydney!

2007-09-18T19:54:00.000+08:00

Sydney was brilliant!

Places visited:
- Surry Hills (so cool so fashionable so hip)
- Darlinghurst (ditto, plus lots of indian food)
- Sydney CBD (like Singapore, but with better weather and friendlier people)
- Chinatown (like any other Chinatown, but better food)
- Paddy's Market (reminded me of Bangkok. or any pasar malam)
- Darling Harbour (oh so pretty at night)
- Sydney Aquarium (puts the underwater world to shame)
- The Rocks (market was great fun, and we saw PM Lee and his entourage drive pass!)
- Manly Beach (surfers don't feel the cold)
- Sydney Harbour (ferries are fun to take)
- Opera House (much more beautiful in real life)
- Harbour Bridge (uhh, like the golden gate bridge, but green)
- Botanic Gardens (beautiful, but no roses)
- Westmead (dental hospital was rather antiquated)
- Strathfield (DFO! great shopping!)
- Parramatta (nice mix of the old and the new, and the ferry back to Sydney was fantastic)
- Bondi Beach (beautiful and totally not overrated. at least while we were there, mainly because it was the Festival of Winds, aka Aussie kite festival! during APEC, no less)
- Dee Why (apparently the original aussie surfer town, gorgeous beachfront cafes)
- Palm Beach (gorgeous beachfront housing)
- The Entrance (pelican bay! lots of fishermen, a carousel, children's trains, cotton candy!)
- Bateau Bay (incredible scenery, and many many paragliders flying around overhead)
- Gosford (feels more australian than sydney does)
- Artarmon (many pretty houses)
- University of Sydney (the quadrangle is totally classic)

And we still didn't cover so many cool places in Sydney! Let alone surrounding areas.. but Blue Mountain was foggy and Hunter Valley had dormant grapeless vines, so no big loss =p

Enjoyed the excellent weather, breathed lots of fresh air, met loads of people, cooked lots of food (Wagyu wagyu wagyu), ate more food (Oporto's, Spice I am!), saw lots of things (paragliders!), and basically had a brilliant time!

Pictures in my Facebook album! Will elaborate on the trip.. eventually =p

i don't wanna get hurt - i just wanna hurt animals in an extremely unfair and one-sided way.

2007-06-21T21:33:00.000+08:00

Louis reminded me of a thoroughly amusing event from nearly 2 years ago.

(picture from here)

Those were good days. Somehow such light hearted banter escapes me nowadays. I want it back!

p.s. by the way, pictures from my China trip on facebook. check it out!

The Pareto Principle

2007-06-05T21:07:00.000+08:00

20% of people have 80% of bad photos.

New paper article:

Recruit, senang diri*! This book's for you
3 undergrads write guidebook to help NS newbies through Basic Military Training
*at ease, in Malay
By Shree Ann Mathavan
May 31, 2007

DO the terms half left down, 5BX and fastcraft make any sense to you?

If not, you've obviously not been through Basic Military Training (BMT).

Half left down means to assume the push-up position, 5BX are five kinds of basic physical exercises and fastcraft is the ferry which takes national service men to and from Pulau Tekong.

Such BMT lingo is explained in a new book, From Boys To Men, an unofficial recruit's guide to BMT in the Singapore Army.

Other topics covered include pre-NS procedures, rank structure, daily routine and proper dress code. There are even colourful lyrics of songs sung in camp.

The book is the work of Mr Lester Chee, 23, and Mr Teh Wei Cheng, 25, both studying business management at Singapore Management University, and Mr Tan Jun Da, 23, a dentistry student at the National University of Singapore.

They had taken time to get used to life in camp and felt such a book could help.

'Our book includes the more boring stuff and procedures as well as the fun stuff like the BMT lingo, the relationship between recruits and instructors and so on,'said Mr Teh.

Official resources available to recruits are the National Service Portal (www.ns.sg) and the Singapore Army website (www.army.gov.sg).

Mr Chee and Mr Tan, who have known each other since they were 15, thought of the book about four years ago.

The two created a manuscript and spent about a year meeting publishers. But publishers all wanted the students to cough up the printing and distribution costs.

Recalled Mr Chee: 'Most of them didn't believe in our work.'

Added Mr Tan: 'That was the time when we really felt like giving up.'

Then, in June 2005, a mutual friend introduced both men to Mr Teh's sister, Ms Alvinia Teh, 23, a director of publishing company MultiNine Corporation.

SIMILAR CONCEPT

And it turned out that Mr Teh had been working on a similar concept and had come up with his own manuscript on questions frequently asked by recruits.

So they put their material together. Information was culled from interviews with past recruits, personal experience and official websites.

Mr Teh said juggling the rigours of undergraduate life and their pet project wasn't difficult. All it took was proper time management.

MultiNine agreed to print and distribute the books at no cost to the three writers.

It was agreed that 10 per cent of the proceeds would go to the writers and another 10 per cent to the publishers, with the remaining 80 per cent going to production and distribution.

The book, which had its first print run of 2,000 copies, retails at major bookstores for $6.50 each.

The Ministry of Defence wasn't consulted during the writing of the book, but a copy has been sent to it.

The New Paper found that reactions to the book have been mixed.

Muhd Ayub Mohd Shari, 19, a Ngee Ann Polytechnic student who will be enlisting next year, doesn't see the need for such a book.

He said: 'I think you can't really learn these things by reading. And I think learning from your mistakes is better.'

But Neo Kuan Liang, 19, another Ngee Ann Polytechnic student, said: 'It's $6.50 that would cover me for a two-year period, so I think it's worth buying.'

Mr Jonathan Kwok, 22, an NUS undergraduate who completed his NS two years ago, also felt the book was a good idea.

He said: 'I went though BMT feeling lost for the first few weeks - not knowing what to do or expect.

'So I would have probably got the book if it had been out then.'

---

Notice that New Paper has shorter sentences (and paragraphs) than Business Times. Interesting.

God my photo (in print islandwide) looks bad

2007-05-21T20:06:00.000+08:00

Business Times article:

A very S'porean drinking game

Brainchild of four local undergrads, it involves cheeky, saucy questions, DANIEL BUENAS reports

'IF your significant other was invited to be featured in Playboy or Playgirl, would you say yes or no?'

This may not be something you'll ask a friend over drinks - yet. However, Singapore Management University (SMU) Business undergraduate Lester Chee and National University of Singapore (NUS) dentistry student Tan Jun Da hope to change that.

Lester and Jun Da (otherwise known as JD) are directors of Game Theory Pte Ltd, a company they started to market and sell a drinking game they have created.

Called Kinda Naughty . . . but Nice (KNN), the game is touted as a drinking game made for Singaporeans, by Singaporeans.

Each game comes with a set of over 200 cards with 'complex questions' printed on them, that is to say, questions that have only two possible answers.

Some of these questions are thought-provoking, some cheeky and some are downright saucy.

It was the brainchild of JD and Lester, along with two other good friends - SMU accounting undergraduate Benjamin Koh and SIM University student Loh Chung Jiat.

Before the game starts, a forfeit is decided - for example, a shot of an alcoholic beverage, and players are given an answer card which is basically a black-white card.

The game will begin with a player drawing a question card and reading the question and its two possible answers aloud to all the different players. Each answer is colour coded as white or black.

At the count of three, everyone will reveal their answers, which should be what the player thinks is the most honest answer the person reading the question can give, by flashing their answer cards together.

The person asking the question will then explain his choice, and if players are unconvinced by the explanation, they can challenge the answer.

If the majority agrees that the answer provided by the person asking the question is true, anyone who had a different answer from him will have to take the agreed-upon forfeit. Or, if the majority agrees that the answer provided is false, the person who read the question, together with all who chose his answer, will then have to drink the forfeit shot.

'The idea of coming up with a drinking game came about during a Christmas party where four of us were playing drinking games that some of our friends brought back from the United States,' says JD. 'They were so much fun, and we tried to find some similar games around, but they were mostly sub-par.

'That's why we decided to come up with something that was easy to carry around, that someone could whip up, and everyone could play and have fun with.'

While it was - to use a pun - mostly fun and games for the four creators of the game, the game also had commercial value.

'We always had this belief that whatever we do, it should be unique, different,' Lester said. 'We didn't want to follow the crowd, and that's why we came up with this game, which is actually very Singaporean.'

In 2005, the four entered an SMU Business Innovation Generator competition and came in joint-winners to claim a prize of $10,000 in seed money. It was with this money that JD and Lester started Game Theory in order to mass-market the game.

Currently, the game is being sold online at www.knn.com.sg through retail store Ig's Heaven. However, JD says that although everyone who's played the game has enjoyed it, sales have been slower than expected.

'The problem is that for a game like this, you do need to raise awareness, and we've been doing it mainly through word of mouth,' he says. 'We tried marketing the game to some pubs and bars, and they liked the game a lot, but in the end they were more focused on moving traffic.'

To date, the company has sold about 100 copies of the game, which comes in a normal, travel, deluxe and a 'play for forfeit' version, where the questions are less cheeky and there doesn't have to be drinking involved. The price of the sets range from $12.90-$39.90.

Moving forward, JD says the company hopes to publicise the game further, and hopefully get more shops to carry the product. He adds that the company is also thinking of tying up with third parties to help promote the game, as well as translating the game for overseas markets.

But in the end, he says it really isn't about the money. 'Dentistry is my career of choice really, and let's be honest - a drinking game like this is not going to make you big bucks,' he says. 'When you're doing a side business like this, the most important thing is not to lose track that you're having fun.'

Full text (and hideous photo) here: http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/campus/story/0,4574,234660,00.html

Now do you understand why I had to have that disclaimer a few days back, about how the tilt of the head and stuff was at the direction of the photographer? Goodness. The article is quite flattering though! And I think the reporter managed to mask the fact that I think faster than I talk, though phrases like "(pubs being) more focused on moving (people along, generating higher) traffic (for greater turnover)" and "not to lose track (of the fundamental truth) that you're having fun" still slip in and make me sound like a dimwick =p (dimwick = candle which is less bright than normal)

Life is a song

2007-05-20T22:43:00.000+08:00

You say life is a dream where we can't say what we mean
Maybe just some roadside scene that we're driving past
There's no telling where we'll be in a day or in a week
And there's no promises of peace or of happiness

Well is this why you cling to every little thing
And pulverize and derange all your senses
Maybe life is a song but you're scared to sing along
Until the very ending

Oh, it's time to let go of everything we used to know
Ideas that strengthen who we've been
It's time to cut ties that won't ever free our minds
From the chains and shackles that they're in

Oh, tell me what good is saying that you're free
In a dark and storming sea
You're chained to your history, you're surely sinking fast
You say that you know that the good Lord's in control
He's gonna bless and keep your tired and oh so restless soul
But at the end of the day when every price has been paid
You're gonna rise and sit beside him on some old seat of gold
And won't you tell me why you live like you're afraid to die
You'll die like you're afraid to go

Oh, it's time to let go of everything we used to know
Ideas that strengthen who we've been
It's time to cut ties that won't ever free our minds
From chains and shackles that they're in
From the chains and shackles that they're in

Well life is a dream 'cause we're all walking in our sleep
You could see us stand in lines like we're dead upon our feet
And we build our house of cards and then we wait for it to fall
Always forget how strange it is just to be alive at all

Photoshoots

2007-05-18T22:26:00.000+08:00

I did a few (yet to be published) photoshoots for certain interviews recently, and I swear all expressions, gestures and strange tilts of my head are at the direction of the photographer and not my decision at all. So if I end up looking.. whatever.. its not my fault =p (though if my smile looks constipated i have to admit thats wholly my fault.)

P.S. and thanks darling for adjusting my hair for the photoshoot yesterday.. lol.

This never fails to crack me up =p

Long awaited release

2007-04-23T19:14:00.000+08:00

Yay, its finally out! Sweet =)

Happy Holidays

2006-12-14T00:02:00.000+08:00

Its the holidays again. Time to enjoy and be enjoyed, good will to mankind, so on and so forth.

Actually, nearly 3 weeks of the holidays have passed leaving us poor dentals with a mere week of freedom left. Freedom from academic pressures, from stifling situations, from plaster of paris/monomer/mercury inhalation, from school, basically. I don't actually dislike school (in fact I rather enjoy it at times) but i've lost so much discipline and focus that I'm not quite sure whats going on. Dental school makes time pass so fast, before you know whats going on you're left in the dust holding a pen and a dental probe.

You're right, its not fun to be merely average.

But hey, its the holidays! When you may recharge your batteries and refresh your soul. But still, sloth and waste rear their ugly twin heads, and time, that eternal irreplacable resource, still drains away like bathwater down sinkhole.

I had big plans for this holidays, so many plans. But the best laid schemes o' mice an' men, gang aft agley. And now, its easy to feel guilty and pressure yourself, right? But, brother, its the holidays. Let it go. Whats the big deal? A couple of days of pure, chilled out rest will not throw your life off track.

So, my friend. Take it easy. Listen to some bossa nova, sip on a lychee martini as you lie on your hammock enjoying the ocean breeze. Wave a cheery goodbye as time passes by. You'll have to plunge back into the red oceans of competition eventually, yes, but not yet.

On a separate note, my girl gave me a real nice pair of adidas original mocassins =) Thanks darling. I promise not to be less grubby now.. Haha.

And I have nice new specs, Tag Heuer type frames that are really wide and actually fit my big fat head. I'm totally stoked about them. They look good, man.

And my christmas present to myself, a microsoft wireless keyboard & mouse combo! Gorgeous, with a 3 year warranty. Looks great and works great, baby.

My new policy for purchases is to buy only things which I can enjoy every single day. That way, when you break up the price its actually pretty cheap. I could save up for a new guitar, but how often will I play it? (How often do I even play the 4 that I do have?) So why not get a expensive but brilliantly designed keyboard and mouse that I'll enjoy everyday I use the computer? Its sort of like how you account for the purchasing price of, say, manufacturing machinery, over the lifetime of the machine, as opposed to a one-time purchase.

So, yea, I'm happy. In the meantime, if you're looking for a christmas gift for someone, why not get them a Kinda Naughty but Nice® game? You won't regret it.

Happy holidays, have a ball, paint the town red.

Merry Christmas to all, and have a blessed New Year.

The Jabberwocky

2006-11-17T22:43:00.000+08:00

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought--
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

On the grass oft the way

2006-11-12T23:26:00.000+08:00

I've lost track, lately. Sucked under by various insidious seductions and stresses, I feel as if I've gone off course. Determination, drive, focus seem almost like foreign concepts, unknown yet tantalizingly within reach.

But me, I'm not reaching out.

I'm lazy, you might say. But no, not in a slothful, lethargic sort of way. Its more akin to leaving the well-trodden jogging path in a park to take a whimsical stroll through its byways, just to enjoy grass underfoot instead of gravel, to smell flowers instead of blood, sweat and toil.

Possibly its not the most opportune time to feel like that, with tests all around and responsiblities needing copious amounts of attention.

Right now, though, I'm just enjoying my quiet relaxation too much to care.

So, if you happen to leave the beaten path, and spot me lying in a verdant field, eyes closed and a beatific smile on my face, just leave me be. Or better yet, why not join me? The grass is fine.

Kinda Naughty.. but Nice!

2006-09-07T16:57:00.000+08:00

Kind of a severely overdue post, but.. if you haven't, please visit http://www.knn.com.sg! Or click the image below.

To those of you unaware, Lester and I have finally begun selling Kinda Naughty. but Nice© game sets!

Its a game that we (meaning the Brotherhood) created together, and its loads of fun! More information about its creation is on the website.

Its been a long road to get this far, where we can actually hold our finished product in our hands and start publicising it and playing it with our friends.

Still a long way to go, though. A very long way. Our actual launch is coming up, probably in October now. And we still have many publicity/marketing/sales avenues not yet researched.

But we are on our way.

At this point in time though, we really need your support to purchase our game. We need to have a certain following to be able to garner any respect when we begin to market ourselves to pubs, clubs or even the media for that matter. So please, please support us! Support KNN and help us make it a success.

Besides, its a really fun game, really! Haha. I promise you won't regret it.

Once again, visit http://www.knn.com.sg! Cheers =)

2 manic months

2006-08-16T22:54:00.000+08:00

2 months since i've last blogged.. wow, it didn't seem that long. Not quite in the mood to write much, but just some short notes:

A special day passed with a special someone. Had a magical time. Thank you for sharing this life with me =)

Dentistry freshmen orientation came and went. Busy like a bee sometimes, slack like mad other times. Pretty fun, though, and always nice to meet new faces and more importantly, not have school!

Game stuff is finally coming along, and even if it doesn't bear fruit at least its a good experience and something i can brag about over a beer 50 years down the road. Life is just that much more interesting when you go out and make things happen. Thanks, bros, for letting a humble dental student have something to play with that isn't a dental drill (not that drills aren't fun haha).

And my 22nd birthday went quietly by. Thanks sweetie for the wonderful BBQ, thanks to ben, jm n jia-yan for a nice birthday lunch at munchies, and thanks to all of you for the wellwishes. Oh and thanks to my line seniors for a completely and entirely unexpected belated present! Twenty-two years doesn't feel like much, not quite a significant milestone. But having all you friends who care about me makes me feel special *awwww*

School is still busy though, and now newly relaunched. Time to get back into the groove.

X-men Quiz

2006-06-15T09:50:00.000+08:00

You scored as Beast.

Beast is an intelligent, politcal spokesman for the X-Men. He has a Ph.D in Genetics and is well versed in literature. He may look like a blue fuzzy monster, but deep down he's very benevolent and logical. Powers: Enhanced strength and agility

Beast

90%

Iceman

75%

Wolverine

75%

Colossus

75%

Jean Grey

70%

Cyclops

60%

Nightcrawler

55%

Emma Frost

50%

Gambit

45%

Rogue

45%

Storm

40%

Most Comprehensive X-Men Personality Quiz 2.0
created with QuizFarm.com

Special term for special people

2006-05-16T23:58:00.000+08:00

No updates in awhile cos too busy with school and other stuff. Been doing loads though, will blog more if i have the time! Anyway for those of you not in the know, i'm having sch 8am-6pm every day of the week for 5 weeks. Special dent pre-clinics.

Anyway I went for a haircut recently at Far East plaza with Leo n Waiseng. Hows it look? Haha. Neater right?

Prawn Fishing!

2006-04-21T23:12:00.000+08:00

Today, Joanne and I went prawn fishing at marina bay! Really good fun! (But I always love fishing.. or in this case, prawning)

Thats me slicing up the cockles we're given as bait.

While Joanne has a good time fishing.

Caught one! Really quickly too =)

Nine prawns using one rod in an hour! Pretty good, don't you think?

To the victors belong the spoils.

Check out the prawn's pincers, man! Had a good time today. You guys should try it out if you can!

Next week, we're going Changi area for some fishing =)

Tweaked!

2006-04-07T23:51:00.000+08:00

Just made some minor changes to my blog template! Basically just increased the width of this main text box while shrinking the size of the sidebar, and made some minor graphical changes accordingly.

What do you think? =)

One week of beautiful holidays down

2006-04-06T22:27:00.000+08:00

Today has been a nice semi-slack day. Went MOS last night. Its about the nicest decor-wise local club i've seen (short of Velvet Underground), although of course not a candle against some of the nicer KL clubs i've been to. Let alone I guess some overseas clubs elsewhere. Oh, but the music was appalling. Horrendous. Sound system was pretty okay and not too loud, but the DJ?! Main room was okay, but it was retrotype pop so not my sort of thing. Smoove, with that chinese punk DJ, was disgusting. Horrible. I hear the resident angmoh Smoove DJ is pretty good, but that young chinese punk is as far as I'm concerned seriously completely shite.

Damn I miss Phuture and the brilliant Andrew Chow.

And I still can't stand smokers. Hope the government will just hurry up with banning smoking in pubs n clubs. Although I secretly think they'd be wary about that, what with the IR coming up and all. Dunno. But I just love being able to leave the club not reeking of cigarette stink.

And that of course is my hideously pink band.

At brewerkz, afternoon right after DA prac =) We passed everything, yay! Lol.

A pretty nice dessert place off bugis. Forgot the address call me if you want it.

We had uhhhhh. Mango puree in grapefruit. And i forgot how to say the other two in english.

This is some sort of milk-derived pudding. Consistency something like tofu, tastes rather like yoghurt. Apparently its by steaming milk with egg white or something. Pretty good!

Oh and I made pizza the other day.

I realise it doesn't look very pretty but it tasted good and thats all that matters. I made it during exams. Haha. I was sian la.

Oh and this last pic is my bros and I getting lambasted by a HSBC senior management staff. I think shes head of investments anyway. And she completely roasted us! Haha. Good fun though, right, bros? =) We're still gonna kick heavy ass and be rich and everything, anyway. No worries!

Y'know. Even if A thinks faster than me, B plays guitar better than me, or C makes more money than me.. so what? I'm my own unique person with my own special package. I'm me, and no one else is better at being me than me.

Just a thought.

Done!

2006-03-31T23:19:00.000+08:00

Its over, time to relax!

And my Band is pink, what the hell.

Pictures of everything will come =)

MOS & Dentistry

2006-03-27T19:59:00.000+08:00

Dental students can be happening k!

Going loco!!!

2006-03-26T01:23:00.000+08:00

What the hell is wrong, man?? I mean, i'm like how freaking brilliant, but NOTHING seems to be sticking in my brain. Bloody hate exams. Bloody bloody bloody bloody BLOODY hate exams.

Simply bloody going mad.

So bloody sian.

The tree in my dreams

2006-03-22T11:16:00.000+08:00

In my dreams, there is a tree, an immeasurably tall tree of infinite branches that span the horizon and reach towards the heavens.

You climb the tree, trying to get ever higher, higher.

Some branches lead you up, others take you down.

Every branch you follow diverges to more branches.

And every branch you do not follow falls to the ground.

Branches leading from these branches fall too.

As you ascend, you realise the tree turns barren behind you, except for the path you have chosen.

And above you, voids are visible in the cover of the tree in regions you will now never reach.

Still you climb, though the boughs get thinner and thinner.

The cover of the tree, once so lush and verdant, now seems sparse in every direction except ahead of you.

So you climb, the only way you now realise you know.

And perhaps, if you reach the end, looking back you will see but one solitary, heroic limb of the tree, reaching from the ground to your seat in the heavens.

So much to do, so little time.

2006-03-12T22:33:00.000+08:00

Photoblogging is so appalling easy when you don't bother to annotate the photos much. Amount of deep brainwork is practically nil.

Goodbye.

I'll miss you.

Hello. (for awhile, till you start to be rebuilt anyway)

Somebody fits in a wardrobe tent thingy =)

Pretty pretty.

Heh.

Acting gong with gonggong.

Still don't really understand this.

Teeth for dinner.

The most unique spectacles case ever.

Anyone remember learning about three-tailed silverfish in primary school?

Getting.. so... queasy....

"You better not buah long long okay!"

This is really good easy drinking champagne from Carrefour. Try it out!

My first pair of golf shoes! Nike Golf and brilliantly white.

Fireworks on last day of CNY.

Spectacular view from Haru, at One Fullerton.

Weird kid.

Thats all for now. Cheerio.

"Well I know what I've been told
You gotta work to feed the soul
But I can't do this all on my own
No, I know I'm no superman
I'm no superman"

The Prancing Horse will prevail.

2006-03-12T22:04:00.001+08:00

Eventually.

Pensieve.

2006-03-11T02:02:00.000+08:00

In a relatively bad mood now. A "snit", you may term it. It isn't the sort of bad mood where you'll rail around the room, in wild random destruction like an untracked locomotive. Rather, its the silent, dark, moodiness of the quiet of the night.

Been thinking a lot lately, about all sorts of things, macro and micro, personal and societal. I believe strongly that an active, critical mind is essential for any form of success in every aspect of life. However, its hard to know when you're thinking too much, and its time to just stop thinking and start doing.

And when you think, reflect, analyse, digest.. where is your outlet? Do you write it down in a diary? Blog it for the world to see? Save your essays in your hard drive? Or do you tell somebody? Have a sounding board? And then, who do you tell? Who will care about your thoughts? Who can meet you mind to mind? Who has hidden agendas? Who, who, who?

Different ideas in different categories are dealt with differently. Different ideas in identical categories are dealt with differently too. Some musings are meant to be aired, some notions locked away. Some ideas you share with friends to develop, some reflections just need a listening ear.

Some thoughts stay with you forever; others fade away in the morning mist.

I just wish for moments of greater clarity, lucidity. Where I can sift through my troubled mind as it pitches, tosses, ebbs and flows... and net out the gems of inspiration, the seeds of initiative, that will bring me to the better place I foresee.

The Simpsons - Real Life Intro

2006-03-11T01:27:00.000+08:00

This is a must see.

Inside Out

2006-03-06T21:10:00.000+08:00

Some of the photos are seriously amazing.. and reflective of so, so many facets of society. See it for yourself.

Love thy brother.

Dragonfruit!!!

2006-02-26T22:12:00.000+08:00

Parents went on a day trip to Malaysia today! They went to some temple to pray.

(Incidentally some number they recieved there, and the license plate of the tour bus, both came out in tonight's 4D.. or at least the permutations did. So never strike.. sigh.)

Anyway they had a stop off at some dragonfruit orchard. You know, the funny looking spiny pink fruit with the white and black flesh. And they tell me that dragonfruit is actually a cactus!

So, totally bored of studying, I went to find pictures of the dragonfruit tree.

Enjoy =) Pictures courtesy of The DragonFruit Site!

Sorry for the long loading times. But I think its quite cool haha. You learn something every day! (something non-studies related anyway.)

Johari/Nohari

2006-02-24T19:01:00.000+08:00

Do for me if you're bored! haha.

http://kevan.org/johari?name=direstraits

and

http://kevan.org/nohari?name=direstraits

In the mean time, can someone please teach me how to concentrate on studying? Sigh.

Hot, sweaty, dusty.

2006-02-19T15:31:00.000+08:00

Just moved house.. what a mess. What a incredibly cluttered mess.

Can't believe I'm going to have to move again in two months or so. And yet again next year.

We really do build up the clutter as we move through our lives, don't we.

Driving home from golf

2006-02-05T23:51:00.000+08:00

Its late, on a dark, rainy night. I'm driving home alone. Travelling along the scenic stretch of the ECP, the rain beat out an incessant stacatto on my windshield. Cars on the road were few; it was like driving in a empty, deserted world, in my own little liquid-walled cocoon.

I increased the volume of my cd player, attempting to distract myself from the rain's lullaby. And I heard the riff, so familiar to the world.

*Bum, ba dum dum dum, Ba da dum, Ba da dum, da dum, da dum dum*

And I sang along with Fergie and the rest of the crew, jiving and grooving, probably looking like a nutbag to any other drivers on the road. But thankfully, there were none.

Nothing gets me moving like "Where is the Love".

=)

P.S. Incidentally I'm suffering from three big-ass ulcers. So the Brewerkz Beer Chilli Bowl, while tasty, was excruciating. So I had to pack home the half-bowl I couldn't finish. And the next day, I promptly burnt it all while attempting to reheat it. Thats just like life, isn't it?

Random Photoblog

2006-02-01T21:38:00.000+08:00

Very long never blog so shall break the trend.

Cake we made for CJ's bday is sweet. (Ben and Lester did the actual making, I created the recipe and did the deco. Pats-on-back all around!)

At CJ's birthday party.

Barefoot golfing kakis.

Guys holding hands.

Neopets during Dental Histology.

Mass-newspaper reading during Dental Histology.

Artistic expression during Dental Histology. (Drawn by Zhiyin, kudos)

Blue-alien-thing-from-some-random-Disney-pic in a skull. (I forgot its name, don't need to tell me i don't really care that much =p) (Ok its called "stitch", thanks to Zhiyin again.)

Skulls and babes. (Babe on right is taken)

Rockabye baby on the tree top.

If the branch breaks the baby will drop.

My brother's new car is sweeet.

Probably going Brewerkz on friday night! Can't wait. BEER CHILLI HERE I COME.

300106

2006-01-30T21:54:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday, sweets =)

Christmas Tree Toss!

2005-12-28T01:37:00.000+08:00

After Christmas, what do you do with your newly-unemployed tree?

Offer it to the heavens/aliens/overflying birds?

Sit around with it on a park bench?

Use it as a javelin?

Or a hammer? (The field-event kind, not the bang-on-nails kind)

Ah heck, just chuck the darn thing =p

Hope all of you had a lovely Christmas, and have an excellent new year ahead! =)

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T00:35:00.000+08:00

Don't you just love christmas?

Merry Christmas all =) Hope you all have a good one!

"..rocking around the christmas tree, let the christmas spirit ring.."

Vacancy filled

2005-12-01T00:27:00.000+08:00

Kindness

Kindness is most important in a boyfriend/girlfriend. You want someone who will go through everything with you - the best moments and the worst, and all of those other moments in between. You love to be able to say anything to your partner, and have them say anything to you. You are able to be extremely close with your partner for that reason.

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Contented and happy~

I INSIST i have a good memory.

2005-11-17T21:37:00.000+08:00

I still have a shit memory. Since the last time I blogged about my abovementioned failing, I don't think theres been a substantial change upstairs.. I'm still damn blur. Its kinda depressing.

I mean, after a few months of school, I can't really rely on the "army has killed my brain" excuse anymore..

Take these fresh cases for example:

== Case 1 ==

I forgot to close the window one day, and it rained. And all my DVDs, which I was supposed to pack, got severely wet. And many were destroyed. Sigh.

== Case 2 ==

The fourth Harry Potter movie has just been released, and my classmates are watching the movie tomorrow.

I decided that, being the continuity-loving guy I am, I should watch Harry Potter 3 before I watch Harry Potter 4.

So, I looked around to loan the DVD from someone, and after some inquiring, I finally found Zhiyin who acquiesced to lend it to me.

And, since I've forgotten what happened in Harry Potter 2 as well, she kindly agreed to lend it to me too.

She then forgot to bring the DVDs to class for 2 days (haha maybe you should work on your memory too babe!), so I waited patiently.

Then, she told me that she'd definitely bring the DVDs to school for me the next day (via the ancient technique of packing-bag-in-advance), so I was pretty happy.

Later that night, Joanne came over my place to watch Intolerable Cruelty. Which I realised was destroyed due to the rain in Case 1. So we decided to watch Zoolander. Which I realised was destroyed too. So I fumbled around my movie collection looking for something good to watch.

And, LO and BEHOLD, what do I see?

But Harry Potter 2 and 3 staring out at me!

I completely forgot I owned them, let alone watched them before. Drum roll: *Ba da ching*

Sigh.

== Case 3 ==

While watching the movie on my computer (we settled for Legally Blond 2, which SUCKED) I was irritated by how soft it was and how much static my speakers were emitting.

My computer speakers are good speakers (Altec Lansing) and they've never given me problems in the past, so I refused to believe they were defective.

Thus, today I decided to get to the root of the problem.

I checked and rechecked the power supply - OK.

I checked and rechecked the speaker connections - OK.

I checked and rechecked the speaker settings - OK.

I checked and rechecked the subwoofer - OK.

Hmmmm, I then realised that the static was only present when Windows was on! Maybe its the driver.

Reinstalled soundcard drivers - OK.

Static still there. So I decided it must be a fault in the soundcard. I opened up my computer casing.

I took out the soundcard and checked for faults - OK.

I checked and rechecked the power supply connections of the soundcard - OK.

I checked and rechecked the power supply and connections of the soundcard peripherals - OK.

Now I'm getting desperate. Hardware is okay, software is okay. You mean my speakers are busted? Or my beloved soundcard??

In desperation, I opened up my volume control and played around with the sliders randomly.

HEYYYYY. When I turn off the mic input, no more static! Thats when I realised the reason I was having static is cos I left the mic inputs on my soundcard (with individual external volume knobs) switched on.

Drum roll: *Ba da ching*

Sighhhhhh.

== Case 4 ==

There was a fourth case, but I forgot what it was.

Somebody help me.

The nature of blogs

2005-11-12T00:38:00.000+08:00

You blog what you feel on that particular day, influenced by the stage your life is in, the general mood of your friends, the kind of events you experience, the enviroment etc.

What you blog reveals your feelings on a particular day, or on a particular subject.

But you may not feel the same a few weeks or months later, thus you should not be held accountable for them.

I need to remember that.

Cos times change. Feelings change. People change. And nothing necessarily stays the same.

So, what I'm saying is, I'm sorry.

Sorry.

More Picture Capture Life (Part 2)

2005-11-11T10:57:00.000+08:00

Dentistry!

Do you sudoko? You can sudoko in the car, just like my babe is doing while I drive us home!

Or even sudoko in the house while you should be studying! (Actually you should just study la.)

Or, why not play with Carl's Junior vouchers?

Cos they're tasty!

Nutritious!

And filled with papery-goodness!

If you don't you're liable to start hitting yourself with sticks.

Or turn gay in anat class.

Look at these hardworking dental students in class! Are they SMS-ing profs complicated questions? Utilizing the 3G network to do research?

No la, just playing racing games.

Dentistry students pay attention when their peers give presentations.

When its profs, though.. Cats-in-the-cradle with uber-long necklaces, anyone?

Dentistry students dress up for presentation even when dressing up has nothing to do with the presentation itself! (Bloody bohliao people haha)

Right now, those kids are chewing on paraffin wax and spitting all their saliva into cups. (Don't ask.)

These dentists-to-be are slanted to the right. And I don't mean politically.

Now, heres some dentistry students indulging in our favourite scholastic past time: Sleeping in class.

Zzzzzzz.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Q&M dental mcdonalds kindly sponsored a night for us at Hard Rock Cafe! (And of course made us listen to a lecture about Q&M la)

Fascinated by Q&M's business model, we listen attentively.

Although probably way more attentively to Hard Rock's rocking filipino house band.

And look what I saw there, right above the table i was sitting at! Jimmy Page's guitar! *Drool*

Okay thats all. Tired liao. =)

More Picture Capture Life (about 10 days late)

2005-11-11T10:53:00.000+08:00

This pictureblog (and the dentistry one to follow) has been rotting as drafts for like, over a week. And actually i'm still a bit lazy to blog la haha but since Zhiyin has requested it, here they come =)

Happy birthday dad! (Fine, so it was on 20th October, I told you it was late)

Aren't Tristen and Tammy damn cute? Haha!

My mom painted this. Took this pic at some exhibition.. nice right!

This one too, different style though. Not my lousy HP camera making it black and white, don't worry.

And yet another style! My mom is how uber creative, can? Haha. And the kids are hamming it up too. When I visited the exhibition, it was Tristen and Tammy who led me around to see all 8 of her paintings there =)

Hae Bee Hiam cookies? Like, WTF? Tastes damn good though. But so expensive! Hai. Its from that place in Esplanade near the entrance, the pretty one with lots of tea. I would give you the link to their website but I forgot the name.

Think thats roast chickens? Or roast ducks? No! You're WRONG! Its roast pigeons! Or maybe roast quails, I'm not sure which. From the yummy roasted meat stall at the new Marina Square foodcourt.

I love it when I see nice views in Singapore. Cos I read all my overseas-studying-friends' blogs and their pictures are bloody gorgeous. HA! Singapore can be pretty too!

This is just obscene la, but actually sort of funny in a twisted sort of way.

I forgot what this is called. Strawberry Delight I think? From the Hotel Intercontinental cafe/bakery, whatever its called. Its damn nice! Got strawberries blueberries pistachio kiwi and i dunno what else.

Since when do they need to label a chicken as "bird"? Scared of bird flu? This was at Giant, Parkway.

Men's toilet at Marina Square. Gives guys a choice whether or not they wanna display their.. uhh.. manhood as they micturate.

Big slippers at Esplanade! BIG.

5-year-old boy to mom, at Esplanade: "Mommy, why got so many neh-neh on the ceiling?"
Mom to 5-year-old boy: *PIAKZ*

Malt-candy-selling old lady at Holland V. It makes me sad when I see old people working, so I bought some malt candy from her.

Advice from Dentists to be: Don't eat malt candy! Its damn sticky and probably bloody cariogenic. Makes your tooth rot. So unless you wanna fill our coffers (which is not a bad idea hmm) just buy malt candy from the poor old lady then, I dunno, give it to your worst enemy or something haha!

Spread the love...?

2005-11-10T10:18:00.000+08:00

If something is going good for you, turning out well, wouldn't you want to tell the world? To share your joy? To shout it from the mountaintops?

And if you don't want to, does that mean you're secretly unhappy? Worried? Does that mean that its not so good after all?

后舍男生 (Back Dormitory Boys)

2005-11-02T20:00:00.000+08:00

If you haven't watched these guys, you should! Basically they lip synch to Backstreet Boys songs (among others), and they're bloody hilarious! The expressions and choreographed movements and everything are priceless. And they actually amuse me enough to make me to sit through entire boyband songs, so they must be good haha!

Higher Quality Videos:
Get Down
I Want It That Way

Faster Loading Videos:
As Long As You Love Me

See all their videos here. Or here. They've got loadsa fans, man.. haha.

Enjoy =)

P.S. You know the Chicken Little trailer playing in cinemas now? For the upcoming Disney movie? In case you didn't know, the song they used is "Dragostea Din Tei" by Haiducii. (Romanian for "Love from the Linden Trees" by The Outlaws.) (Yes, its in Romanian.) And the reason they used it is cos of the Numa Numa Dance! You can watch it here. Its the video that started the whole lip synch webcam thing in the first place! And millions of people worldwide love it =)

P.P.S Lyrics to the crazy romanian song here.

I'm surprised?

2005-10-22T20:11:00.000+08:00

Your Inner Child Is Surprised

You see many things through the eyes of a child.
Meaning, you're rarely cynical or jaded.
You cherish all of the details in life.
Easily fascinated, you enjoy experiencing new things.

How Is Your Inner Child?

Go Lions!

2005-10-22T19:08:00.000+08:00

Good job Lions!

And good job Singapore! Corruption free forever!

*brimming over with national pride*

Now if only our press would do their reporting more honestly. I mean, being ranked 147 in the World Press Freedom Index?? Thats why I never trust anything I read in the Straits Times.. I mean, I have nothing against a pro-government newspaper.. After all, PAP is doing well for Singapore. But I think the least the Straits Times can do is report accurately and honestly, and stop misquoting and twisting words around. What happened to ethics, after all?

Thats why I get most of my news updates from here.

*proud of Singapore, but not of its newspaper*

Picture capture life

2005-10-17T17:48:00.000+08:00

Warning: Moderately long load times ahead. Hey, it could be worse. I could, like, not use thumbnails and post the massive originals instead..Haha.

The brotherhood. Picture courtesy of ben. We had dinner at The Vines (in novena) to sort of celebrate Lester's birthday. Its nice to know theres a bunch of guys you can stick with through thick and thin.. Thanks bros.

Also met Lester to have dinner at Brewerkz. I love the food there man.. Though its a bit expensive for financially-challenged me. And the cuisine is a tad rich sometimes.

Check out the massive burger! I couldn't finish haha, even with a valiant effort that Lester was impressed by.

Non-brotherhood brother! This was at Different Tastes at Frankel, when we celebrated Louis' birthday at my house. JMs a madman, but thats why we clique I suppose.

Brother-in-york, having a ball of a time living the independent life eh? I hope he remembers protection. Oh ya, but hes Catholic. Too bad =p

Pretty view at Clarke Quay.

Actually sometimes Singapore is also quite pretty la huh.

Coke van! Big sister to the coke car in my previous post.

Open up the pic and look at the last line and see what they are selling. Cool, man. I also want.

So I can use it to store my Colorful Sushi from Carrefour. Haha.

Dying rat! It got caught in the rain, and probably has a cold, or fever, or dengue, or bubonic plague or something. Freaked Joanne out when we saw it.

Grasshopper of NUH. Remember that story about the hardworking ant and the lazy grasshopper? While the ant was gathering food, evidently the grasshopper was ogling at pretty (?) NUH nurses from outside the window.. Haha. NUH should adopt it as a mascot. Don't ask me to think of a reason la, but it'll just be an interesting conversation topic. And I would love to see grasshoppers painted all over the place, just cause it'd be ugly and I'd have another reason to feel bleah about school.

My Oscar, clamped up. Poor thing. He has no tongue or lungs or voicebox but I bet he wants to scream.

Hard hard working dental students hard at hard work in the Dental lounge.

Except that they're playing DOTA, of course. Haha. But dental students are overworked and stressed la. Can't blame us, right?

If you've studied the whole night, you can't blame us for being unable to stay awake during class, right?

If the only people you see are your dentistry classmates, wouldn't you want to get closer to them?

Right?

In the meantime, other overworked dental students go the direction of Sadako. Whatever that is la, I never watched the Ring =p

This one isn't so successful. Scary mary.

Simply going bonkers is probably easier.

Trying to become a Jedi probably isn't.

Anyway everyday to get to and from my car, we have to climb 100+ steps. Thats about the only exercise we get, us sad dental students.

Had a dentistry yr 1 gathering thing at my house, to play mahjong. But tired dental students fall alseep playing mahjong too. And have to eat while playing mahjong so can study harder when they get home.

Not enough to eat so must go prata shop and eat more.

But feeling quite pisssed off at the thought of still having stuff to study hanging over you. Like a dark cloud heralding a storm.

Okay la actually we're not really suffering all that much in school but I'm in a pretty broody (as in brooding, not as in having kids) mood. My blog, my twisted interpretation of reality.

Actually this blog shows mostly the happy side of me.. I still like my private blog more. Too bad no one sees it except me, haha.

Random Pictures

2005-10-03T17:35:00.000+08:00

I'm bumming now at the student lounge, and I can't seem to concentrate on studying. So I shall post random pictures I took over the last few weeks.

Coke car! Spotted this at Bedok, was ferrying a very normal looking family, husband wife and 3 kids I think. In fact, a very common everyday scene, except for the red & white "Coca Cola"-ness of the automobile.

Ice cream man, outside city hall mrt. I love eating ice cream from these fellas found all over the CBD. Not so much the taste of it (though Wall's can't really be faulted for the price) but for the whole experience of it. Yummy ice cream sandwiched between two wafers or a slice of bread.. Simply hits the spot while taking a break from a hot day of shopping.

(Or rather being dragged around by shopping girls.. haha!)

(I'm just kidding! Really!)

A cute little stray kitten.. found at the excellent hokkien mee place between Eunos and Kembangan, along Changi Road. Sad to think in a few years it'll probably become a pest and be put down. We tried to feed it but another bigger meaner cat came along and stole the food. Survival of the fittest, I suppose.

If you can't see it clearly, the summons is for "Parking against the flow of traffic". The parking warden was booking the car right when I was going to park. It was just a small side road la and one car happened to be parked in the opposite direction. And that costs FIFTY big ones. Next time better three-point-turn before you park. I saw this near siglap. Needless to say, I shifted my car. Who knows what kind of strange summons he might give me if I stayed? "Parking with four wheels touching the ground", or "Leaving car unattended with doors locked".

Okay fine, I realise I probably just don't know the parking rules well enough. And I get why parking against the flow of traffic might be dangerous on a major road. But on a minor road, it just seems excessive to me.

That says "Mackerel Steak Shit Sauce". Its a new range that NTUC carries, catered for people with deviant tastes.

Nah just kidding la its shitake mushroom sauce.. Haha had you going for awhile there didn't I?

Okay, back to study. School, family and socialising and everything really leaves practically no time to blog, man. So i expect my next entry to be in november.. Haha. We'll see la.

Read Talk Rock!

2005-09-12T19:37:00.000+08:00

Taking a breather from work.. Go read Rockson Takumi Tan! Hes damn bloody funny.

--Sidetrack--

I accidentally typed http://rockson.blogPSOT.com rather than http://rockson.blogSPOT.com/ and got linked to some "amazing bible studies" site. WTH, man. Some christian site is camping on http://www.blogpsot.com/. Is this some new method of evangelising, by catching people who type carelessly? "Oh ye of careless fingers, let me save your soul." Like, whatever man.

--End of Sidetrack--

Look at his take on mambo night:

"When I reach there I see got a lot of short skirt young girls and ah beng NS guys and they play old music! I think is Abba, Wa lao eh. Somemore the people dancing look like the National Day dance-together kind of dancing. And got people sing the songs at the same time as dancing, every word also got one dance. Even ah beng will say is obiang. But here the ah beng all like this kind of music and dancing, make a lot of noise and whistle the girls. I remember I saw this kind of dancing before, inside a community centre, got those auntie and the chee ko uncle all wear cowboy hat dance together."

HAHAHA damn funny. And damn true lor.

This is my favourite entry of his, about the marina bay fireworks. He makes a rather poignant point at the end.

Go read! In the meantime, back to biochemistry.. =(

Little come lately

2005-09-10T22:32:00.000+08:00

Yea I realise I haven't blogged in like, 1 month and 3 days.. Been busy, I suppose. And haven't really had much mood to blog either..

Probably the latter rather than the former =p

Anyway those of you whom I talk to would know I was in charge of some silly performance that the Dent Yr 1s had to put up.. It went well, thankfully.

Prospective class of 2009, Dentistry Buffet Night 05

Thanks, guys.. I'm damn proud of all of you =) Even though my reputation is now probably pretty much destroyed, I have to say it was pretty fun la.

In the meantime, all the best to everyone reading this la. Keep on working, study hard and all that..

But remember to take time off and smell the roses once in awhile. The world is a pretty amazing place, after all.

View from the satellite car park, NUS.

Oh and as many of you know, I'll be moving next year. Heres the prospective plans for the new house! Don't plagiarise! Haha.

My house number is 69.. lol

Orientation is over!

2005-08-07T19:58:00.000+08:00

2 1/2 weeks of exhaustion are finally over! Immediately after coming back from Bangkok, orientation started! And it was 8am-11pm every single day (or so) until yesterday. But I've finally been successfully initiated, and school starts tomorrow! Sweeeeet.

Bangkok trip was excellent! Had a lot of fun with the gang, shopping and sightseeing.

The yellow cloth was apparently for some buddhist festival I was completely unaware about.

This was the place where Mortal Kombat: The Movie was filmed!

Saw this at Chatuchak Market, thought it was a spice shop.

Turns out they were selling stones. I suspect its for decoration. If someone knows for sure what they are for, please tell me!

And I also celebrated my 21st birthday!

Granted I couldn't celebrate much because of orientation, but my parents waited up for me to cut cake. So sweet, aren't they?

And I also celebrated simultaneously with the 2k gang's july-aug babies! With Lewis and Wenyuan, in particular. 63 candles on one cake! Sweet.

Thanks to the special other people who celebrated with me too =) Love you all.

I would write about orientation now, except that what I write may land me in hot soup. And I would post pictures of the funner bits, except I don't really know my classmates well enough yet to know if they'd mind having their pictures on the net.. so thats all.

Schools starting! Yes!

Bang Kok.

2005-07-20T19:15:00.000+08:00

Leaving this hot, sticky country tmr morning! For.. uhh.. another, hot, sticky country!

See you guys in a few days =)

Warm fuzzy world.

2005-07-17T18:43:00.000+08:00

I'm somewhat myopic, left eye 250 degrees, right eye 300 degrees.

Very often, I enjoy wearing my spectacles, because every time I feel threatened, unhappy or otherwise discontent, I can take my spectacles off. And the world unfocuses into a warm, fuzzy blur.

An ugly, grey concrete jungle becomes a world of massive erasers from a giant's pencil case, or big granite obscurities, or tall crystal mazes. A cloudy sky turns into a pleasant lilac blur.

Frowning commuters on the MRT become animated, amusingly speedy smudges.

And yet, recently I've begun to find my once pleasant fog disconcerting. Shadows seem to lurk in every corner. The sky is an angry purple haze.

I wear my contact lenses religiously now.

Last 2 weeks of Perth trip

2005-07-10T21:41:00.000+08:00

I couldn't be bothered to upload the photos one by one to imageshack (sixty pictures!) so I used Flickr.

So check it out here! I captioned the photos and everything. So its just like a photoblog, except much slower to read through =p

And yes, I realise my long messy hair makes me look like a shaggy Saint Bernard or something.

Listen to Corrinne May!

Just a space-filler.

2005-07-10T02:22:00.000+08:00

So I've been back for nearly a week. So I have lots of pics and stuff I haven't uploaded. So what?

Haha. Heres some filer till I actually do.. some pics i left out, and some vids.

We made tiramisu in the second week of Perth. JM was very good at shaping the biscuit base. Kudos.

Heres a video of JM pouring in the tiramisu mixture into his biscuitted bowl.

Thats some cajun potato wedges I made. Tasted very good. Nice and spicy, just the way I like it.

And just for you, for being as kind as to read my blog (haha), heres a short clip of Jebediah live.

Cheers.

Terrorist attacks in London

2005-07-07T21:24:00.000+08:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

DIE ALL YE ISLAMIC EXTREMIST TERRORIST ARSEF**KS.

MAY ALL OF YOU BURN IN HELL FOR ETERNITY.

F**kers.

And my last blog entry is missing too. WTF. Terrorist arseholes.

Gone Fishin'

2005-06-27T21:06:00.000+08:00

Sorry, too busy enjoying life to blog.

Rock cod, anyone?

The new MSN craze!

2005-06-24T22:04:00.000+08:00

"i don't wanna get hurt - i just wanna hurt animals in an extremely unfair and one-sided way."

Read this for more information!

Change your MSN information today!

P.S. Thanks to Louis for writing something I can link to, hence saving me the trouble of writing it myself. And thanks to JM, my brother-in-straitjacket, for inspiration for the whole thing in the first place. I just hope this doesn't come back to bite us in the arse in the future.. haha!

And Kungfu Hustle's lollipop girl is so chio! *heartpain*

Does this mean I'm not cool?

2005-06-19T23:54:00.000+08:00

You're Not a Hipster!
Take What sort of Hipster are you? today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.

You're actually not much of a Hipster. Congratulations! You may have Hipster style, but you're healthy, you eat right, you have a decent job you enjoy, your finances are stable, you plan on buying a house (if you don't already own one) and settling down before you're 35, you have friends you like, your friends like you, and you can honestly say you're pretty damn happy. Perhaps you should adopt a Hipster and draw them into your perfect lair . . .

Perth Photoblog 4: Explorations (Updated)

2005-06-18T01:50:00.000+08:00

Wah lau time passes damn first here man. I'm like completely behind in all the things I wanted to do.. And now Lester will be arriving on monday and it'll be back to doing guy stuff, i.e. no exercising of brain matter. Ahh well.

Anyway.. this last photoblog of my first two weeks here (or as Louis pointed out, mainly first week, cos I have practically no photos from the second week) is of Perth and Fremantle la. We actually did some touristy things! Haha.

This is Perth, I think. All these shots are from Lewis' camera, by the way. In fact, most all the photos in all the blogs are from his camera. I don't like taking photos/being photographed much la, but evidently Lewis does. Haha. So yea thanks man.

Some artsy shot he took.

Another one. I think he mentioned he liked taking pictures of places he visits. Like architecture and stuff. I suppose that makes sense. Me, I like taking pictures of good food! Or cute chicks. But thats another story.

I like this shot! This was the hotel where the three of us (together with other guys from RI Guitar) stayed in.. 2000, I think. It was a CCA trip.. and it was where we got addicted to Domino's Pizza. Haha. Good memories, there.

Edit: Look what Louis found!

The old photo from the school trip! Can compare that with the current photo! Haha. Look at then chubby me with funny short hair and shades and compare with current chubby me with funny long hair and no shades. People do change with time, huh.

Another shot, but with JM too. Lewis didn't come on this trip, btw. We were guitar, he was NCC. That brother too garang la.

Proof that we got addicted to Domino's on that fateful 2000 trip.. haha!

Of course, we weren't as well trained then la. Look at JM, having trouble with a few slices of pizza. Compared to how much we consume now.

I don't like this shot. But this is the only one of two photos I have of Fremantle town.

This is the other one. Well, whatever la huh.

Edit: Another nostalgia photo courtesy of Louis!

We took more photos in Fremantle in 2000, for some reason. Maybe young kids more phototriggerhappy.

Fremantle is famous for its fish and chips! Me, I don't really like fish and chips -that- much.. I think its cos its too oily. But we ate at the supposedly best place, Cicerellos. We forgot to take pictures before the meal la (Guys eat first think later) so yea theres only some fish and chip remnants on the table. I must state though, that I really think fish and chips tastes better on paper. Though the oil-stained paper makes me feel sick.

So after the big meal, we decided to go climb rocks. Fremantle has these really long rock outcrops.. Breakwaters, I think, to create artificial bays.. Marinas to hold all the rich men's playthings. Louis saw a topless woman sunbathing on a yacht the last time we were here. He didn't this time, and was very disappointed. If you could look really close you'd see the tears in his eyes when he realised no boobies for him that day.

(Thats for being a lazy ass and linking to my blog, LT.)

Anyway it was pretty fun la, except for the fact that I was wearing really thin soled shoes, not realising that we were gonna go climbing rocks again. And my $300 spectacles kept threatening to fall off. Oh we saw a sea lion. Or a seal. Or a dugong or something.

Finally reached the end after.. I dunno, 15 minutes? Haha. Good fun though. And about the only time in the trip where we actually all sweated like hell. Damn hot, man.

Edit: One last blast from the past!

See? Proof that we climbed it the first time, and that we were actually dumb enough to do it again! Haha. JM didn't change though. Looks the same, just bigger. Strange.

Okay thats it! End of the photoblogs. Phew. Nice thing about photoblogging though is that it doesn't involve much thinking.. Just regurgitation. Like history in secondary school! Haha.

Music is forever beautiful

2005-06-17T21:37:00.000+08:00

My blog has music! I'm happy.. haha. I'm so easily pleased.

Anyway, I gotta admit I ripped the code of Sandralicious. Yes, I'm so bad at html that I have to copy it from Pretty Blogger Blogs.

Sorry =p

But I have music, and I'm very much content.

I worry, I weigh three times my body
I worry, la di dah di doo.....

Perth Photoblog 3: Fishing Fanatics

2005-06-13T18:01:00.000+08:00

Just had a huge dinner.. Satay-marinated roast chicken, spiced baked potato wedges, salad with avocado and sweet gherkins.. wah. I think if i lived alone I'd get damn fat cos I enjoy my own cooking so much.. haha.

Y'know I look back at my entries and i talk about cooking so much.. its actually sort of gay. But hey on the flipside, any lady I'm with will enjoy my culinary expertise, I tell you. But on the hand any lady I'm with has to know how to cook too.. Its only right, after all =p

Well anyway. I just started a fire.. so I'm feeling nice and warm now. Also, the half bottle of wine I just imbued probably helped. Which means I can't concentrate on my reading, which is what I really should be doing now.. So, blog lor. Haha.

Anyway, this blog is about the fishing we did. Fishing is fun! We have two rods, one which is mine, and one which belongs to Lester, who'll be joining me here come 20th Jan. We fished in Point Peron, which is this sticky-out piece of land on the coast. Good view on the way there, though.

So anyway, we had to negotiate a pretty interesting route to reach the rock outcrop where we fished from. Gary led us, the first time we were there. We were all slighty shocked at the amount of rock-climbing/bouldering we had to do, though. But it was fun la.. we guys enjoy that sorta thing. Haha. As long as its not really dangerous, anyway.

Incidentally, that long tube on my back.. thats my fishing rod case. I paid $30 for it.. but it was totally worth it, man. I can't imagine negotiating those climbs and stuff carrying an exposed rod in my hand.

Though come to think of it, it was actually sort of dangerous. Check out the breaking waves.. haha. I think if anyone fell he would've been washed out to the sharks pretty quick. Wait I think we knew that. I recall JM being slightly worried. Aiyah, my thought processes are a little foggy now.. The wine is getting to me a little bit. Just a little bit. Mmmm.

Gary, wondering why the hell we're so slow. Can't help it lah, we're just young Singaporean city-slickers. Not used to the rough and tumble of down under.. haha.

I was having a bit of trouble with that spot.. I blame it on my ankle. Just had an ankle operation, after all, its not that flexible yet.. yea =p

Anyway. We got to the outcrop safe and sound! And started fishing proper. Theres Gary teaching JM how to cast. JM picked it up pretty quick, and soon he had the best cast of us all. I think its because hes a bit mad and just enjoys the woosh of the rod as he casts.

(Though I gotta admit I'd like to have a bit of a woosh too.. But I cast pretty far and can get lots of fish, so I'm content la.. haha)

Louis was getting a bite here, I think. Notice the bend in the rod. No catch though..

But at least we got pro-looking fishing shots! Thats Lewis.

And thats JM fiddling with his rod. Maybe a tangle or something, I dunno. Still looks pro, though.

Yea this first day we fished, it was late afternoon, so we enjoyed gorgeous views of the sunset. The photos which have a bit of a golden-brownish tinge, thats cos we pointed the camera lens through Lewis' polaroid adidas (i think) lens shades. It was an excellent effect.. Kudos to Lewis who discovered it! The picture above is not polarised. Still nice.

This view, however, is through the polarised lens. Nicer, right? Or nice in a different, more unique, pro-looking sorta way.. haha.

Anyway we got bored from not catching fish the first day (we figured out why soon). But we found a bunch of blowfish stuck in the tidal pools on the outcrop.. So, boys being boys, we decided to mangle them. Throw rocks on them, that sorta thing.

Oh yea, and stick them through with Swiss Army Knives. Stabbing, courtesy of Louis Tan. Knife, courtesy of me. Knife sponsored by the Singapore Armed Forces. Heh.

Anyway, after we got back I found out off the net that the blowfish are related to pufferfish.. Apparently pretty dangerous. Good thing we didn't touch them heh. Apparently the other guys noticed them puffing up, but didn't point it out to me. Bitches =p

So.. No fish. So go home lor. At least we got nice photos (see above)!

After Louis went back, we had one more fishing expedition.. Caught 2 fish that day. But this old bloke fishing near us, he caught a whole bucketful! I went to talk to him, and figured out his secret.. He used a 3 ft trace line (we used 6 ft.. if you need explanations email me or google it) and he used prawn bait. We were using lures, which didn't work well at all at Point Peron.

Anyway after meeting that old man, we decided to fish again the next day, using his techniques. And since we were fully expecting to catch lots of fish, we decided to make a major expedition out of it. So, we prepared lots of food (guys mah.)! 2 x 6 inch sandwiches each (filled with goodness! Salami, tomatos, lettuce, cheese, sardines, mayo, cucumber.. ooooh). Chocolates (I only eat white). Corn chips. Cans of tuna and sardines.. We were prepared, man.

Oh ya, we brought bait too. River prawns! Not cheap, as I recall.. But worth it, if we catch lots of fish!

So we got there (the climb gets easier and easier the more you do it) and cast our baited lines in the water with baited (heh) breath. Thats Lewis using my rod and JM using Lester's rod. (Lester, if you read this, your rod is good, man. Has a nice sensitive tip.)

And the fish bit! And bit! And bit! I would have pictures of them biting but we were too busy catching. Anyway Uncle Gary and Aunty Dolores came over to visit us mid morning, and Aunty Dolores helped us gut all the herring we had caught by then. Those seagulls just had a huge feast on the fish guts. Yea, the bloody patch was the site of the gutting.. Heh.

So anyway, by the time we stopped fishing we had caught 29 herring! And thats excluding the ones we let free cos they were too small.. Apparently theres laws against bringing home small fish. Well, whatever! We got lots of fish anyway! Though all the fish we caught were like before lunchtime.. Way I figure it, the fish only feed in the morning, so thats why we'll only catch them then.

So, we enjoyed the fish we caught for dinner. Yay!

Makes me happy just looking at the photos.. Haha. I just wish the rain would ease up so I can go fishing again without being worried about caught in a storm.

Perth Photoblog 2: Culinary Escapades

2005-06-12T01:48:00.000+08:00

I AM DAMN BLOODY COLD. You may have noticed theres now a Perth temperature thingy at the sidebar, underneath the Flickr badge. If its below 15 degrees, i'm freezing my bloody ass off. And that doesn't even take into account windchill.

Last night I met this old bloke, hes a friend of my hosts. Well, as we all know, heat opens up your pores and cold closes them up.. thats the principle which saunas work behind, after all. So basically he convinced me that I should try have a warm shower, followed by a cold one.. apparently he does it all the time and its working wonders for him. So I just tried it out lah. Now your question is.. does it work? Well, I don't know if it works, but I have a sneaky feeling over here, the cold water closes up your pores by turning into ice in them. Bloody hell it was like being doused in ice.

Alright, enough whining (for today la haha its still gonna be bloody cold tmr, and two days from now, and ....).

On to blog proper!

Before coming to Perth, we had decided that we'd do lots of cooking. For the guys who don't usually cook, its a chance to pick up some much needed culinary expertise.. y'know, to cook for the girlfriends or as a technique to get a girlfriend. So, we planned to devote quite a substantial amount of time to cooking. It didn't really work out as planned (we were too busy doing other things, like watching dvds haha) but we still managed to cook on a couple of occasions.

Of course, guys being guys, we had to have a few unhealthy meals la. This would be an example of that. Basically, its some left-over hamburger patties, doused in sauces and grilled with sauteed onions. Damn bloody good. But I think most girls would feel their arteries start clogging up just looking at the dish. Heh.

So we also made other stuff. Heres JM happily mixing a bowl of cream pie filling.

And here he is, happily filling the pie crust with above said filling.

Louis is happy too, taking credit for other people's work (HA! EXPOSED YOU! =p) (I'm just kidding! Louis is indispensible. Besides, he has lots of Tim-tam Orgasms.) (Or at least he did. Its been nearly two weeks since he went home with the twenty packs. I wonder how many there are left.)

We used whipped cream in the filling. We also have strawberries. So Lewis made the obvious connection.

While waiting for the pie to set, I decided to make some Anzac cookies. I don't know if its cookies made to commemorate the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp, or whether the cookies were their combat rations. If the latter, damn they have it pretty good. Anyway, one of the guys, I don't remember who, suggested I make them in the shape of s**t. So I did.

Incidentally, thats the Chicks Dig Me t-shirt.

S**t cookies in the oven. Well I suppose my batter was too moist la. Think I overkilled on the margerine. So as any baker would know, the cookies ended up looking normal. Disappointing.

But on the flip side, our Strawberry & Almond Cream Pie was bloody gorgeous!

And tasted damn good too =)

We made two, for Aunty Dolores' BBQ-cum-birthday-party. Everyone said it was damn good. Although it was a bit too sweet la. (If we made perfect desserts, we'd be making big bucks working for hotel cafes.)

I mentioned it was a BBQ birthday party, right? So, BBQ means.. RAMLY BURGER! Louis making up for lost time here.

And me, BBQing up a storm. I found out the hard way that Ramly Burgers are bloody hard to do. Those Ramly Burger sellers have incredible technique.

And JM assembles the burger, complete with.. well, everything.

The Ramly Burger is complete! A work of beauty. Though we decided the two patties was probably overkill. Too much meat, maybe.

I didn't think so, though. But I got strong carnivorous stomach la. Powerful like lion. And also Lewis and I shared a burger.. haha. Too much food that night la.

Okay thats it. We also made tiramisu that turned out very well, but thats in Lewis' camera. And we also made snacks like baked potatos with herbs and butter. And cayenne-pepper spiced egg mayo. And I don't remember what else. But no more photos, so too bad =p

Surfing the WWW

2005-06-10T01:24:00.000+08:00

I made absolutely brilliant mash potatos for dinner, with diced carrots, cucumber, butter, cheese, pepper, salt, coriander, oregano and thousand island salad dressing. It was served on lettuce leaves as a side for beef steak. And that, coupled with a few glasses of wine, completely knocked me out after dinner.. haha!

Anyway, that explains why I'm awake in the middle of the night right now, surfing the web.. found some interesting sites, thought I'd share them:

This guy is quite incredible.. I'm sure you've read about him (the nutter who built a boat in the shape of a Ferrari F50 out of wood and ran it through the canals of venice) but his other works are way more astonishing. He built a wooden house, composed of books and other biblio-influenced (is that a word?) paraphernalia. Also check out his wood carved clothing.. The folds and textures are incredibly lifelike.

Check it out at http://www.liviodemarchi.com/ukmain3.htm

Some girl (who just happens to be, apparently, intelligent and pretty) conducts a sociology experiment, and reveals how elitist Abercrombie & Fitch is. Or at least that outlet they went to lah. Anyway, goth chicks are hot. Just look at Avril Lavigne and Charlotte Hattherley. They don't look too good naturally (sorry), but are damn cute goth-ed up.. heh.

Check it out at http://www.insidebayarea.com/bayarealiving/ci_2785449

Perth Photoblog 1: General Pics

2005-06-08T11:45:00.000+08:00

Alright, Flickr didn't exactly work out.. they only allow 3 (?!) albums! So whats the bloody point of having an online photo sharing facility if I can't even organise my photos into nice neat digestible chunks? (Although it does have a pretty cool Flickr badge thingy that is now on the sidebar of my blog.. just thought since I signed up I may as well get something out of my time.. heh.)

If anyone knows a good online photo base that
- is free
- is reliable
- allows easy direct linking
- offers a decent amount of storage space (50 meg?)
- doesn't delete pictures
- allows unlimited galleries
- allows easy photo sharing (i.e. no need to sign up to view)
then please tell me about it!

In the meantime, imageshack it is.

Anyway. This will be the first of 4 photoblogs, regarding the first two weeks of my stay here! The first two weeks with JM, Louis (for the first week) and Lewis. I decided that the best way to organise the photos was by activity.. so i divided them into: General, Food/Cooking, Fishing, and touristing (Perth & Fremantle), . Also, I forgot what we did day to day so I can't exactly do it diary-like. Maybe I drank too much wine.

So, this are the general photos that, together, tells a story of our stay in Perth. A very incoherent, disjointed one, but a story nonetheless:

We arrived in Perth on 24rd May. Gary picked us up from the airport and drove us to his home, where we will be staying. We all fell asleep on the car ride, tired out after watching two movies each on the plane.

Anyway, we reached his house. Same place as in my last aussie photolog. And we were greeted by one of his two chihuahuas, Banjo.

Banjo is damn bloody old. I think at least ten years old? And he looks/sounds/shows it. He has a teeny little bark, runs into things cos hes practically blind, all the fur on his back has practically dropped off, smells pretty bad, and is absolutely cute. I mean, I wouldn't want to hug him cos he sheds and stinks, but hes cute lah. The guys were very amused by him.

In case I haven't made it clear, the photos are not in chronological order. I'm just ordering them in a way such that I think I can write about the trip most coherently. Anyway, heres the music room again. I'm not sleeping there anymore, btw. We're using the guest rooms. I'm wearing a "Chicks Dig Me" t-shirt that Lewis bought in the US for me. The others' had shirts that said other stuff, but they agreed that only I could possibly pull off a shirt that declares your masculine virility so vehemently. Also, they grabbed the other shirts before I could pick.

Wine is bloody cheap here! Everyone knows that, of course, but I'm still shocked at how cheap it is. This is a 4L container of wine.. it costs around 12 bucks (thanks JM). thats 3 bucks a litre! a standard bottle of wine is only 750ml, man. It isn't premium wine, but its very drinkable, and I'm happy.

JM is happy too. Except till he drank too much and went red in the face (and eyeballs) and started feeling like crap. He can't hold his liquor la. I'd post the picture except JM would kill me. Grace, your boyfriend will never be an alcoholic! Be thankful =)

Every night we ate a mad amount of food. Seriously mad. Thats cos Aunty Dolores is a very very generous cook. An average night consisted of a few slabs of pork/mutton/beef, and a mountain of fresh vegetables each. And we cleared it out every night. And ended up completely stuffed. Yum.

Come to think of it, even when we bought dinner, e.g. Domino's and Red Rooster, we also bought a crazy amount of food. And ended up completely stuffed as well. I think we're just greedy pigs lah.

JM had a nutella craving and bought a 750g container (thanks again to JM for clarification) of Home Brand Hazelnut spread, cos it was cheap. It didn't taste as good as nutella, but I suppose it was okay once you got used to it. Anyway, he promised to finish it all before he left cos no one else eats nutella. Thus began an era of nutella smeared foods (weet-bix, mainly), at least till he got sick of it.

I tried to help him. However, I don't really like the taste of nutella so I decided to mask it with tuna in olive oil. Mmmm, good. (Not really.)

Oh, if i haven't mentioned it, its cold here. I think it averages 15-20 degrees in the day. I can take the cold when I'm prepared for it, but in the morning I'm basically not prepared for anything aside from a nice warm bed. Thats me in the jacket.

Thats not me in the blanket. Can't remember who it is, actually. But whoever it was, he was tired. Just look at the awkward position he fell asleep in! We had lots of fulfilling days doing not much really. We showed great adaptability by slowing down the pace of our lives to near-snail proportions, even exceeding (or diminishing, depending on your point of view) that of the native Australians. We watched, I think, 15 movies in the 2 weeks.. mostly DVDs which we bought here, cos they're cheaper. We fished. We roamed the area. We cooked. We played games online. We played lawn boules. But even though we didn't do much, we still managed to get really exhausted at the end of all the nothing.

Oh we played ball too. Had to take advantage of the wide open spaces and green grass fields, y'know? So we bought a nice cheap american football for ten bucks. And it was a bloody hard piece of rubber, man.

So hard, in fact, that sometimes after catching it we'd have screamed in pain. Not that we did, of course, cos we're all so manly.

Did I mention we got tired? Well, we got tired. Maybe its the air. Or maybe theres just an aura of "lazy" surrounding the continent.

Oh yea, in addition to cheap DVD's, this country also has cheap Tim-Tams. 1.99 bucks aussie a pack, as I recall. So before he left, Louis bought a stack of them. The ones he bought were the best ones, truffle flavoured with melted white chocolate centres. I can't remember what the name is. Anyway, I call them Tim-tam-orgasms. (Edit: They're called Creamy Truffle Tempations. Stupid me forgot that I could just zoom in at the pictures to read the box.. sigh. Anyway Tim-tam-orgasm is a better name!)

So thats it for the general section! I would have posted more pics, but I'm lazy to upload anymore than I have to.. haha.

The other 3 posts will come up over the next 2 weeks.. with luck. I don't have much hope in finding a decent online photo storage site.

Me, fishing

2005-06-07T21:17:00.000+08:00

JD pro fishing shot
Originally uploaded by direstraits.

I look so pro, right! Haha. Lewis took this shot at Point Peron. Didn't catch a lot of fish that day though.. haha. Anyway I'm currently trying to figure out how to use flickr.. If its good I'll post more pics!

End hiatus

2005-06-07T19:59:00.000+08:00

As most (i think) of you know, I'm currently in Perth, Australia. Have been for the past two weeks, in fact, and will be for the next four!

Haven't had much time to blog cos prior to coming here I was trying to settle a lot of things before my long trip.. And after coming here, with the guys.. Aiyah, lazy la =p We spent most of our time enjoying the cold weather, bumming, fishing.. etc. Haha. I'll write about that later or something, when I get some photos to post.

Actually I think I didn't write simply cos I didn't feel like it la haha. Anyway, the rest of the guys left today (Louis left a week earlier, JM and Lewis today). And Lester will only be arriving in 13 days time.. 20th June to be exact.

So that means I have 13 days to try and cram in all the things I wanted to do alone! Like study up the 10kg odd of books I brought. Practice guitar. Learn some useful stuff like I dunno, woodworking, car mechanics or something. Haha. I have a funny feeling I may just end up bumming 13 days away again. Like fish every day or something.. heh.

You know, I'm looking at JM's blog now. How come he write so cheem. In fact, how come so many ppl write so cheem. I think I'm among the shallow school of bloggers.. The diary-with-occasional--but-very-rare-sidetracks type. Just a thought.

More to come.. I hope. In the meantime I hope all you guys back home (or in melb, or wherever) are well. Don't worry, be happy!

No pink vespa =(

2005-05-17T22:40:00.000+08:00

Turns out that ben was lying about JM and his pink vespa.

I kinda expected it la.. pity though, I really wanted it to be true! Haha. So I can post pictures of JM looking poofy with a pink vespa on my blog.

But I'll settle for this:

Hahahaha so pretty right!

Suck it, ben =p

Update: Louis was very amused by this whole pink vespa fiasco, so he has transcribed the entire MSN conversation between me and ben here (I'm not usually so vulgar by the way, my use of profanity in the conversation highlights how shocked I was at what ben was telling me). And he also did an absolutely hilarious pic of JM wearing a Sky Captain helmet with his pink vespa! Check it out! Haha.. he censored JM's face though.. such a nice guy. Unlike me. HAHAHAHA!!!

I think about the complications

2005-05-17T02:08:00.000+08:00

I can't get to sleep. Cue Colin Hay's Overkill.

Late night is the best time for thinking.. I find my thoughts run clearer, smoother. Less inhibition under the cover of darkness. (I'm talking about mental blocks la. Although actually come to think of it I don't know how some ppl can be intimate in painfully bright light. Doesn't it kill your mood? Nevermind.)

Y'know, I find when you're trying to think, the best thing to listen to is soft acoustic rock. Like Dashboard Confessionals. Not too upbeat to annoy you, not too slow to drag you down. Pleasantly generic.

(Okay la I know my taste in music is not very cool and pretty passe. Whatever la huh.)

You should never listen to something really good when you're trying to think, study, or do anything productive. You'll just get distracted and start following the song, tapping out a beat, singing along or something.

No particular reason for this link. Just thought it was interesting.

EH! JM! Ben just told me you ride a pink Vespa! With a World War I fighter-pilot Sky Captain type helmet complete with massive goggles. Thats damn gay! I'm gonna take loadsa photos of you on your poofmobile man, then show your kids when they grow up and embarass them. Haha.

Well. Anyway, I can't sleep.

Probably something to do with the fact that I napped from 6-8pm. Was tired la, cos slept last night and woke early (for me) this morning.

Been thinking a lot though, about a whole load of crap. Like working out the numbers on a car purchase and how its going to burden me when I saddle the loan (answer = a lot). Or worrying about parental, and general, mortality (too scary to think about for long).

Okay its too late at night to think about depressing stuff. I'm liable to start drowning my sorrows in my extensive (as well as extensively untouched) liquor collection. Confession: I do sneak shots from time to time when I'm feeling low. I hope this doesn't mean I'm becoming an alcholic.

Hmm. My name is Junda. Well actually "Jun Da", with the space. But anyway. Apparently, Junda has some sort of African heritage. And it also means "Young" in ancient Goth (is that a language?). And its the name of a Lithuanian/Latvian war goddess. And its also the Japanese translated name of the last disciple of Buddha. Well well well. Isn't etymology interesting?

When people blog, they write (obviously) about vastly different subjects. I read quite a number of blogs today. I'm always pretty impressed by people who can blog lengthy passionate diatribes about current events that I personally don't really give a rat's ass about. For example, the recent A*star/acidsomething conflict. You know, that scholar dude. Maybe his blognick is acidpuke or acidreflux or something, I don't know what. Inconsequential anyway.

Point is, so many blogs (including many people I know) had entries about the length of my entire blog, or possibly the Constitution of Singapore (I assume we have one), about that conflict. And many of them weren't even scholars, let alone affiliated to A*star. I'm not talking about a few short paragraphs, here. I'm talking EMOTIONAL writing complete with LOTS OF CAPS and pseudo-freudian analyses of Philip Yeo and acidchicken. Granted, many of them were incoherent and basically encompassed the viewpoints of FUCK YOU or FUCK BOTH OF YOU or FUCK THE WORLD over and over again. But the point is, these people really CARE.

I don't deny that I found the whole thing pretty interesting, amusing even. But enough to want to write a novella on it? I'd rather pluck my eyebrows la.

I wonder what its like to feel so passionately about something that doesn't affect you. I mean, its not like supporting a sports team or idolising a musician. Its like politics, man. Its all muddy as hell to me.

Maybe I'm just thick or shallow or something, but I just don't get it.

I suspect the people I'm talking about, if they ever come across my blog (which I doubt, considering I refuse to be linked to), would consider apathetic buggers like me to be the death of society. Well, I honestly do admire the fact that you're taking such a strong stand, and like Voltaire, I'll defend your right to take it.

I just personally don't give a shit la. So I find reading those blogs painfully boring. I'd rather derive vicarious pleasure (or even Schadenfreude heh) from reading blogs of people with more interesting lives than mine (read: nearly anyone). Especially blogs of pretty girls who post loads of pictures. Haha I sound like a chikopek.

Well, whatever la. All guys are pervs, anyway.

P.S. Hmm this post was totally not the post I intended to write. Initially I was planning to write about why people blog (e.g. to entertain themselves, to gain exposure, or to generate envy haha), but as usual I got carried away and started rambling. Oh well. Speaking of rambling. Does it annoy anyone else that China is called China? Or that the race is called Chinese? If I ruled the world I'd rename China to, I dunno, Maozedongland or something. Then, I'd consolidate all the predominantly caucasian countries into one country and call it Caucasia. Lets see how they like it then.

P.P.S. Rambling led me to think of travelling. And I just came back from Macau, China. Hence I started thinking about China. Just in case you were wondering about my thought process la.

P.P.P.S. By the way I'm not putting down China, or anything like that. I'm just irritated at the double meaning, y'know. The same thing goes for Indian Indians, Korean Koreans, Japanese Japanese, any race which can also be a nationality. I just find it annoying la. For that matter, whats caucasian anyway? Are Nordics, Mediterranians and Alpines all considered caucasian? Aiyah I realise this is all just a messy, touchy, controversial issue la. I just wish that nationality and race could remain seperate. I mean, nationality matters la but I don't really think race does.

Catharsis is a big word

2005-05-15T00:16:00.000+08:00

A friend once told me she blogs as a form of catharsis. I nodded sagely and agreed with her.

Then I went home to check the dictionary to see what the hell catharsis means:

ca·thar·sis Pronunciation Key (k-thärss)
n. pl. ca·thar·ses (-sz)
1. Medicine. Purgation, especially for the digestive system.
2. A purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, especially pity and fear, described by Aristotle as an effect of tragic drama on its audience.
3. A release of emotional tension, as after an overwhelming experience, that restores or refreshes the spirit.
4. Psychology.
a. A technique used to relieve tension and anxiety by bringing repressed feelings and fears to consciousness.
b. The therapeutic result of this process; abreaction.

[New Latin, from Greek katharsis, from kathairein, to purge, from katharos, pure.]

Well.. hmm. I suppose I don't really treat blogging as a "release of emotional tension".. I have my music for that. I suppose to some extent a big reason i blog is to keep certain friends in the know with whats happening in my life.. But I find it hard to make it a habit la.

I find I usually only feel like blogging when I'm super sian.. like now, for instance. I just came back from Fay's birthday party, which was good fun, hanging out with friends and all that. Didn't go for her after-party at Altivo though, cos I didn't really have anyone to go with la, as usual. And I came home to an empty house (aside from the sleeping maid and kids la).. My brother and sis-in-law out at some event or other, my parents apparently at some karaoke bar a relative just set up..

My parents are cooler than me! Alamak.

Haha but seriously. Its not like I even really enjoy the clubbing/pubbing/drinking scene anyway.

I don't wanna be anything other than
What I've been trying to be lately
All I've got to do is think of me
And I have peace of mind
I'm tired of looking round rooms wondering what I gotta do
Or who I'm supposed to be
I don't wanna be anything other than me

I don't deny if I'm successful in the future (as i sincerely hope to be), and financially capable of living the high life, I probably would. Dress well, eat well, drive a sweet ride, dating fast women (heh), vacationing at hotspots like Ibiza with my happening friends.. Probably get carried away doing all that too.

But I think the real me sits on a grassy riverbank with a book and a guitar.. then the mates arrive and we fish for a couple of hours.. then i bring home the fish to the missus, we cook a good fresh dinner together, and then snuggle in front of the tv till late..

I guess we'll see.

Back in a week

2005-05-01T00:57:00.000+08:00

Hmm. Haven't blogged in awhile. Lazy la. Or you might prefer to think of it as having no life so nothing to write haha. Anyway. Flying off to macau in about 6 hrs. Back in a week or so. Ciao!

Pictures taken from phone

2005-04-25T00:54:00.000+08:00

Today me and lester -

Sidetrack: I'm aware that to be grammatically accurate, I should be writing "Lester and I". But I'm sure many of you have noticed that, when I write or speak or sms, I have a tendency to put "me" first. Well, thats because I do la. Put myself first, I mean. I'm egocentric, I know (I can see Priscilla nodding her head). Can't help it, thats the way I am. If my slight egocentricity is hurting anyone, feel free to tell me, though. Most of its just in my head anyway (i think). Yea just to make that clear.

- went to Lucky Plaza to try and get rid of old handphones.

They quoted me a ridiculously low price for my old Nokia N-gage, just because the covers scratched and the rubber bumper is sorta loose. Cheapskates. On the other hand we noticed a lady looking to buy an ngage for her son, so we approached her to see if her son wants to buy my ngage cheap. Hope that works out.

Anyway, I also traded my super antiquated Sony Erisson T310 for a nokia handphone-to-usb cable. So that means I can post photos I've taken from my handphone now! Whoop de doo! Like this one (sorry can't resist):

My bro has a sweeeeeeeeet car.

And here are some pics I took in KL.

The soaring symbol of Kuala Lumpur's metropolitan status, as a world city as well as financial and political centre of Malaysia. And it gave me a crick in my neck when I tried to see the top.

Ramly Ayam Double Special. Looks like crap but its so damned good. I feel like there should be a punchline here but I can't think of anything funny to say. Maybe something like "Just like me" except I don't think I look like crap (refer to above under "egocentricity").

Fishballs made from saitou fish. Yummmmmmmmmmm. Like swedish meatballs, but white and bouncy and fishy smelling.

My travelling companion. She was kind enough to post lots of unflattering pictures of me on her blog (before you ask, I'm not going to link to it). But I shall be magnanimous and not put my formidable photoshop skills to task and, say, add horns or flames billowing from her nostrils. After all, I'm not childish (besides its 1.15am and I'm tired). Her penchant for taking sneaky photos of me aside, she was pretty good company la, so all ye defenders of JD don't need to flame her la huh =p

This is my favourite shot. I call it "Stag in KL Deer Park going 'What the f**k?' when interrupted from serene contemplation of whatever stags contemplate by kaypoh Singaporean tourists taking pictures of his butt".

OK thats it. Sleep time. I would actually be sleeping already now, except that the Spaghetti Carbonara I made for dinner was a bit too heavy. Sigh. Mental note: next time, less potato, more mushroom.

Just back from KL

2005-04-21T20:15:00.000+08:00

I came back from KL last night! On the whole it wasn't a bad trip, aside from some hiccups (such as the bloody bus driver deserting us at the Singapore customs on the way back), and i had lots of good food!

Ramly burgers are incredible! Bloody unhealthy and fattening, I think, but so bloody tasty! After intense observation (and with the help of a friendly cook) let me present:

----------

The Ramly Special Burger Recipe!

The Stuff You Eat
Burger Bun
Ramly Patty (I suppose any patty will do actually. Any meat will do, too.)
Cucumber (3 slices)
Lettuce (1 piece)
Tomato (1 slice)
Onions (Sliced, I think he used normal red onions)
Egg (1 raw)

The Extra Punch
Margarine
Pepper
BBQ Sauce (Or Teriyaki Sauce)
Seseme Oil
Mayo
Ketchup

Tools of the Trade
Grill (Hot & greased, baby, just the way I like it)
Spatula

The Grilling
1) Melt a blob of margarine onto the heated grill
2) Grill the patty in margarine, gently press it with your spatula once in awhile. Flip when browned.
3) Butter burger bun halves, grill butter side down. Gently press it once in awhile too! But don't crush it! Remove when golden brown.
4) Slice the patty nearly in half, flip it open so it resembles a figure 8. Throw some pepper, BBQ sauce, sesame oil on the inside, then grill the inside of the patty. Add more margarine if needed.
5) Close the patty when browned. Continue grilling the outside. Add pepper, BBQ sauce, sesame oil. Move patty to the side.
6) Crack an egg on the margarine greased portion of the grill. Scramble it and spread it so its about the size of three patties by three patties.
7) When the egg is done, place the patty in the middle of the omelette and fold it over the patty.

Assembly of the Burger
1) On the grilled burger bun, place a slice of cucumber, then tomato, then add some mayo and ketchup. Then add the piece of lettuce and the sliced onions. Then, place the completed patty-in-egg on top, and top it off with more mayo and ketchup if you like.

Eat
1) Be warned. Its going to be damned messy.

----------

Lol. Okay la I think its correct! But I didn't get a chance to confirm la. Haha. Kinda regretting it now.

Anyway you guys going Perth with me, I'm gonna try out this recipe over there, baby!

Sweeeeeet.

Well. I also got some nice clothes there! Two CK polo tees, one OP polo tee and one Abercrombie & Fitch muscle tee. Oh and a canvas belt I was forced to buy cos I left my belt back home and my pants were falling =p And a fake Adidas jacket that apparently makes me look gay haha.

Not too bad though. At least I got three nice polo tees =p

Big Freakin' Samosa

2005-04-16T20:34:00.000+08:00

The cold case actress is pretty.

Anyway, yesterday was a good day. I got my pink IC, settled all my Australian trip business, and found a nice old malay man selling big freaking samosas off a bike:

Thats a 50 cent coin, for comparision. Big freaking samosa!

And today, I got a new phone! Nokia 6170. I'll put a photo up, except most of you who read my blog would see it sooner or later anyway =) Unlike the big freaking samosa, which has been eaten. Lol.

WTF. Sigh.

2005-04-14T16:15:00.000+08:00

This morning, I woke up groggy. Went to the bathroom and squeezed Loreal Extreme Fixing Radical Gel onto my toothbrush. Sigh.

Saw a Qantas promoton in the papers, advertising $270 tickets to Perth. Went online and couldn't book the promotional tickets. Called the number on the ad and got a busy signal. Sigh.

Only found out hours later when they FINALLY updated the Qantas Singapore site that the number on the advertisement was wrong. And upon calling them, also found out that the site is having problems so I'll have to wait if I wanna book the tickets online. Wait to book online, and risk not getting cheap tickets. Book by phone, and pay a surcharge as well as feel stupid once the online tickets appear in abundance. Sigh.

The kiam-pah-face redneck still isn't voted out of American Idol. Sigh.

At least I make good bruschetta!

Life lesson on the PIE

2005-04-12T00:12:00.000+08:00

Just now I was driving Lester home from doing business stuff (or rather watching Soldier, eating prata then watching Desperate Housewives heh), we encountered a jam on the PIE.

It was a pretty big jam, apparently caused by some accident on the pie.. basically the two inner lanes were blocked.

I hate it when the signs tell you that certain lanes are blocked and some jerks insist on taking them anyway, then forcing their way into the open lanes later on. Those people really piss me off.

So when some asshole in a white Honda VTEC forced his way in front of me, forcing me to brake hard to avoid a collison, I got pretty annoyed and blasted my horn for awhile. Granted I could have let him past, but the rude buggers like him shouldn't be encouraged, you know, letting them think its easy to do the inconsiderate thing.

So I let it get on my nerves.

BUT.

Lester pointed out that someone had passed away in the unfortunate accident.

And that kinda put things into perspective for me..

I know its corny, but damn it, life IS short, transient even. And it really is simply so stupid to let little things get at you, annoy you.

I gotta learn to just let things slide.

Sorta wino-wannabe

2005-04-09T01:42:00.000+08:00

Bourbon
Congratulations! You're 118 proof, with specific scores in beer (40) , wine (116), and liquor (52).

Screw all that namby-pamby chick stuff, you're going straight for the bottle and a shot glass! It'll take more than a few shots of Wild Turkey or 99 Bananas before you start seeing pink elephants. You know how to handle your alcohol, and yourself at parties.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 31% on proof

You scored higher than 83% on beer index

You scored higher than 98% on wine index

You scored higher than 84% on liquor index

Link: The Alcohol Knowledge Test written by hoppersplit on Ok Cupid

Not bored anymore!

2005-03-30T13:34:00.000+08:00

In case you guys didn't realise, the last two blogs were because I was damn bored la. Not that I meant to torment anyone with mediocre prose/poetry.

But I'm not bored anymore! WOW is here!

Not to mention lots of things to study, still. Haha.

The agony of boredom

2005-03-27T13:00:00.000+08:00

I sit, I wait, I stay
Waiting for the night to follow the day
Lingering in an oppressed existence
Yearning for an untimely release

Impatience, incapacity, impotence
The dance may not yet begin
Passion is bridled, fire is contained
A pounding, throbbing heart

Beats to count off the seconds
Waiting for night to follow day
A futilely intense rhythm
Stirred by emotions that have no release

Incapable of other thought
But a exhilarating anticipation
Unwilling to settle for any less
Than that playing out in my mind

Still I remain, I pass the time,
Longing for what the dawn will bring,
The satisfaction of fulfillment
The experience of your touch

The baby unicorn

2005-03-27T00:29:00.000+08:00

Far away to the east, near where the sun rises from every morning, there was a verdant land of rolling green fields. It was a land blessed with ample sunshine and abundant rain, and as such, nature's bounty could be found in its full glory. Its hills were oft crowned with colourful wildflowers, and little bubbling brooks ran cool and crystal clear down to emerald vales.

Within one such emerald vale, by a little brook just like any other, there stood a small baby unicorn. His skin was gleaming white, with a shining mane that glittered in the light when the baby unicorn tossed his head. Right now, though, his head was bowed low, staring at his reflection in the water. Or more specifically, at the tender, sawn-off stump of his single horn.

------------

Okay I just ran out of inspiration. I'm just bored la and I felt like writing something but didn't really have much to write. Just finished reading Blind Assasin. In it, a man concocts post-coital science fiction stories for his lover. Strange.

Been thinking a lot, lately. I think its mainly because I don't have enough to do. Or rather, I'm not interested enough or motivated enough to do the things I should be doing. So I just bum around, stare into space and think.

But if my mind travels on journeys as my imagination creates new situations and worlds for me, am I really still "stuck at home"? Hmm.

Aussie Photolog

2005-03-18T20:54:00.000+08:00

This is going to be a bit of a long blog! Or at least its going to take awhile to load la huh cos theres something like 16 pictures haha.

So here we go:

This is the room I slept in. I got the room which doubled as a jamming studio, lucky me! Haha. Its pretty cool, with guitars, mixers, amps, PAs.. Heh.

Thats Gary showing off his backyard jacuzzi! We were having a barbeque that night.. In fact we had barbequed meat like nearly every night. No wonder I put on weight. Bloody hell =p

Some of Gary's budgies. Hence my msn nick while I was there. Some of his birds are worth AUD$2000 and up.

This photo was taken just before the wedding. Aren't the kids just so adorable? Haha.

And this is the wedding cert (one of i think, 4?) being signed! Its all pretty nice and informal.. unlike doing it at Singapore's ROM.

The kids at Penguin Island! If i had known there were gonna be hot bikini babes there (check out the background) I would've gone too. Ha!

The totally rad "Lambourghini" which I drove for 3+ hrs to Margaret River to visit Aunty Dolores' family. Its a 20 year old Holden Commodore.. Pretty crap car haha.

The home of Aunty Dolores' mother! Its pretty incredible. Something like 20 different varieties of roses, at least, and all kinds of fruit plants too! Not to mention other flowers and vegetables and herbs and shrubs and plants, all crammed in a half acre spread. Thats 2000 square foot, btw.

My parents with roses! Aren't they cute? Awwwww.

Tammy! Shes starting to pose for the camera a lot now.. Haha. Shes gonna be gorgeous when she grows up, man.

Me! Under some lemons. Haha. I just found the lemons amusing, thats all. There were also oranges, mandarins, apples, grapes, pumpkins, cherry tomatos, figs.. and probably more that I don't remember.

No particular reason for this pic, except that this is (apparently) the Wisteria plant. Only reason I posted it is cos it reminded me of Desperate Housewives.. haha.

And she is of course the reason why Desperate Housewives is stuck in my head. Same reason for all the guys in the TV watching world, I think. Haha.

Went walking through the bush with Gary. Was pretty bloody hard work, especially with a bum ankle that was giving me trouble. The bush is pretty overgrown. Reminded me of jungle bashing in tekong, except it wasn't as hot and muddy and there weren't any mosquitos. And its much more fun of course! Saw some gorgeous views there.

We hiked to the bottom of a valley and found this pretty little brook. Clarkes Brook, I think. It had the clearest, freshest, tastiest water! We refilled our water bottles there. Followed the river upstream, and found a lot of curious small man made dams. Found out why later.

The river was dammed up to form a lake for this house there! Its basically a summer mansion, I think. It even had a dock, with swimming pool ladder, sticking into the lake! Whoever owns it must be absurdly rich man, because that area is supposed to be government land. Gary was pretty pissed that his childhood playground was tainted like that.

Tammy smooching Laura! Aren't they the prettiest, prettiest girls ever? Haha they're basically about the same size though Laura is one year younger. Oh Laura is Gary's step-granddaughter, by the way. Shes a little farmer girl!

Well yea okay thats about it! I got more pics la but I'm lazy haha. It was a totally excellent trip man! Can't wait to get back.

Gotta do more fishing, and maybe some coonacking! Haha.

Home again!

2005-03-18T18:36:00.000+08:00

I'm home, and its so bloody bloody hot!

Wah. Will post pics later after I shower, unpack and reacclimatise!

*sweating bullets*

Sunday Morning

2005-03-13T08:30:00.000+08:00

Its a beautiful day! I love this country. Bright sunny weather, clear skies, and not too dry for my (delicate?) skin. The budgies in the aviary in my host's backyard are chirping non-stop! They're pretty adorable! All dressed in bright yellows, whites, greens, browns and blues. I'll post some photos when I'm back.

The wedding I came here for was yesterday! It was bloody hot (but humidity was low, so still better than back home), but the garden wedding was gorgeous! Most gorgeous backdrop, with grassy fields, a pond with ducks gliding across it, bridges and arches and flowers dotting the landscape. And the groom was handsome, bride was absolutely radiant =)

I think I'd like a garden wedding too.. haha. No dinner banquet and "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM SENG!" for me, please.

You can see a photo from the wedding here.

Many many more photos here, but its gonna take a bloody long time to load.

Y'know I realise that I like the suburbs lifestyle much more than I do the city life. I'm not really one for shopping and all that, as many of you know.. Give me a guitar, some tabs, maybe some wood and knife for whittling, and i'll go sit under a tree in a field and be happy as a peach =)

Oh by the way, I'm staying at Gary and Dolores' home right now, in Rockingham, south of Perth city. And its a gorgeous home! Loads of space. And a huge backyard (thats where the aviary is). And a room with a full audio set up, mics, amps, guitars, the works! Thats the room I'm staying in.. haha. Loads of jamming going down here, baby.

And I love the fact that cars here are so cheap, man! Gary's Ford Falcon is a big fat sedan with a 4.1L engine (v8?) and it only cost AUD$31000! That wouldn't even buy a Kia Picanto back home.

The pace of life here is much slower.. Everyone knows this, of course. But last night the whole group spent something like 4 hours shooting makeshift blowdarts through a makeshift blowpipe at balloons, and after the balloons were popped, beer cans.. Haha. Can you imagine doing that in Singapore? Everyone else would look at you and go "Siao arh, le?"

Yea well I'm seriously considering emigrating here now, maybe when i'm 30, 35 or so. I'm not really a people person, so I don't need the city life. My brother is all for the city, fast cars, high life back home, but not me.

Me, I'd be happy to go driving SUV's in the bush or dune riding at the beach with Graham, Aunty Dolores' sister's husband. He was telling me about it yesterday, and man does it sound fun! Especially since he blasts Metallica.. haha.

But these are all just idle thoughts, of course. I still have lots of life to go through. And I suppose when I get married (once I'm financially stable anyway) my priorities will change.

Right now though, I'd just dream.

All you people studying overseas, you know how lucky you are? Just to be able to experience a different kind of lifestyle for a couple of years. Ahh well.

Still NUS for me.

(Sorry, I'm rambling again. Can't really concentrate, get myself into the right mindframe to write well, or properly at least. This place seems to ooze laidbackness.)

Really, off to Perth

2005-03-10T01:20:00.000+08:00

I decided to stay up a bit so I can sleep well on the plane tmr morning la.

I'm waking up at 6.15am!!??!!? Haha.

So yea.. Luggage packed. Suit, dress shirt, tees, polo tees, and some berms. And some knives, razors that I can't put in my hand carriage.

And in the hand carriage I have JD's Amazing Toiletries Pack sans razor! Which currently consists of toothbrush, toothpaste, facial wash, pore cleanser gel, body powder, contact lenses, lens solution, cologne, comb, plasters, facial wipes.

Theres also two books, Margaret Atwood's Blind Assasin and a book on Cariology.

Theres also lots of tissue paper, my very cool (i think) notefile, pen and pencil and i can't remember what else.

Well I then spent the next two hours MSN chatting with Ben about (what else) finances and cars in relation to the former.. I think its good to plan for the future.. Work things out. Of course, you'll never know what will happen in times to come. But its always good to be prepared, if only to have a goal to work towards.. So thanks bro, for getting me thinking too! Heh.

Hmm anyway, after I packed, I also spent some time thinking about poetry. Y'know, I actually quite like poetry.. I think i mentioned that many blogtries ago, after watching Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind.

Reason I started thinking about poetry is cos Lester wrote a little 4 line poem and asked me to comment on it.. of course, I can't possibly reproduce it here.. Haha. I could however reproduce a poem i wrote for the Creative Arts Programme in '99.

Except, now looking at my portfolio I realise i didn't write any poems.. Haha. As i recall you need to submit 10 items of play, prose and poetry, with at least 2 categories. So I used 9 essays I wrote for school and knocked off a play in 15 minutes.. Haha.

So, before I go to sleep (and fly off to Perth in about 7 plus hours), instead, let me insert a beautiful poem a once close friend sent to me, a few years ago..

Evening Solace
By Charlotte Bronte

The human heart has hidden treasures,
In secret kept, in silence sealed;--
The thoughts, the hopes, the dreams, the pleasures,
Whose charms were broken if revealed.
And days may pass in gay confusion,
And nights in rosy riot fly,
While, lost in Fame's or Wealth's illusion,
The memory of the Past may die.

But there are hours of lonely musing,
Such as in evening silence come,
When, soft as birds their pinions closing,
The heart's best feelings gather home.
Then in our souls there seems to languish
A tender grief that is not woe;
And thoughts that once wrung groans of anguish
Now cause but some mild tears to flow.

And feelings, once as strong as passions,
Float softly back--a faded dream;
Our own sharp griefs and wild sensations,
The tale of others' sufferings seem.
Oh! when the heart is freshly bleeding,
How longs it for that time to be,
When, through the mist of years receding,
Its woes but live in reverie!

And it can dwell on moonlight glimmer,
On evening shade and loneliness;
And, while the sky grows dim and dimmer,
Feel no untold and strange distress--
Only a deeper impulse given
By lonely hour and darkened room,
To solemn thoughts that soar to heaven
Seeking a life and world to come.

Off to Perth!

2005-03-09T11:04:00.000+08:00

I'm leaving for Perth tomorrow morning! I'll blog later if I have the time (or rather if I have something to write). Anyway I should really start packing.. hmm.

Cheers! Be back in 8 days!

(Update)

Packing luggage is a bitch man. At least, its a bitch when you have to try and fit a suit into your luggage. And dress shoes. And sandals. Can't even use a bag for my suit cos the bag don't fit in my luggage bag, so now my suit is probably getting really creased.. Haha.

While packing I realised something though.

My clothes cupboard is in a huge mess.

The reason the original picture is so huge is cos thats the default setting of my new digicam and I can't be bothered to resize it. Besides, its also to dissuade people from enlarging the picture and inspecting what strange clothes i have: "Eyerh whats that flowery blue thing?" "Is that a bright gold shirt I spy?" "Eh, pink!"

Thats after removal of 2 full bags of clothes to be karang gunied, when I cleaned up my cupboard a few weeks back la. And excluding a full laundry basket. And i've still got about 2 fieldpacks worth of army attire downstairs.

I was wondering for awhile if I have too much clothes, but Kevin assured me that I don't.. he has more =p Lol.

How do you ladies out there manage having so much clothes? (Here I'm making a sexist, but probably true, assumption) I mean, with tops, bottoms, dresses, double the underwear and I don't know what else. Then again women probably have ten times as much footwear than I do. I suppose its a gender thing.

But well. Totally stuck in this trap of having too much clothes. Just keep buying new ones, and wearing the new ones, and thus disregarding the old ones.

I think I regularly use (regularly meaning wear at least once a year) at most 1/3 to of my wardrobe.

I have like 20 dress shirts, at least, and 3 suits and 2 sport jackets. Which I probably won't use regularly till I'm out of university. And by then they'll probably all be mouldy. Jeez.

Mental note: Clear out cupboard after coming back from Perth and donate clothes to Salvation Army.

Flaming flowers that brightly blaze

2005-03-05T00:42:00.000+08:00

I've been such a guy these two days! Its fun to just, y'know, act like a normal guy.. forget about studying and work and all that.

All immature and shit, know what I mean?

Lots of playing of XBox, of course.

Watching sports with beer and chips. (Okay actually thats tomorrow. Formula 1 Season, baby! FERRARI!!!!)

Reading crap but hilariously funny books by authors like Dave Barry, Drew Carey, Tim Allen. (I read fast)

And last night I had a good time jamming with part of the brotherhood. Jamming rocks man! Its been too long since i've done it. Completely forgot how fun it is to just play music with a bunch of guys.

Admittedly last night was a poor facsimile of how jamming should be, since there were only three guys and one of them just picked up the guitar recently.. But I still had fun.

When I came home I listened to some of the songs my secondary school bands recorded.. sounds good man! Well maybe not damn good, and probably not as good as the stuff my bands in JC and army did. But it was very obvious we were having a damn good time, lots of cheering and laughing..

I miss those good old days. In all my latter day bands, theres more stress, politics even. Always trying to make the most out of practices, searching for songs, looking for individual parts, arranging it to make it sound professional, I dunno.

I just want to get out there with a loud mic and a rocking guitar, y'know?

In secondary school jinming and I used to go peninsular plaza after school to jam for an hour. We did 2 man "Smells like Teen Spirit". It was pure unadulterated noise, but total release, I tell you.

Its not something we'd do nowadays, I suppose, after being exposed to how good bands can actually sound.. but its a fond memory, y'know? Nostalgia. And for me that'll always be how jamming should be.

Not so much the sound, or the music, but the spirit of just rocking out.

Yea and tonight Jinming came over for us to work on our Spudgun again.

For the uninitiated, a spudgun is basically just something that fires potatos. Usually it works on combustion of gases such as propane or butane, or in more advanced cases they can be pneumatic.

We're just making a simple one, really, and if the potato would fly 20 metres we'd be damn happy.

Because so far we've spent i think up of 8 hours on it and we still can't get it to work la. At least now we've figured out how to get the ignition system to work.. Nearly burnt my eyebrows off just now when it fired off unexpectedly =P

Haha see what great fun it is to be a guy. Sure, girls may have much more fun, I dunno, dressing up or gossiping or shopping for shoes..

But guys get to stick 500 plus sparklers into a can and light it all at one go!

Ooooooh, yummy. And incidentally these are just before/after pics. Can't get any pics of the actual explosion unless you want searing white patches! We have vids, though! Haha

Guys rock, man. Getting away with occasional immaturity rocks. Haha.

Time to play some guitar! Haha maybe I'll do some speed drills on my electric.. or work on my jazz intonation.

Oh I realise that cos of my guitar playing the music I listen to is actually quite limited.. A lot of what I listen to I do because of the guitar parts.

And I tend to like slower stuff now.. maybe I'm just getting old at 20 going on to 21 la.

While driving just now, I listened to this Hiphop/R&B cd a friend burnt for me.. After two songs I nearly barfed. I'm totally out of it, man... Not my scene any longer.

Maybe in a year or so I'll be back in the mood.. but for now, sooth me, dear Joss, dear Norah.

P.S. Yea, I know, yesterday's "JD, you're a machine" campaign didn't work, alright? Don't rub my face in it. I'll try again tomorrow.

You're a machine

2005-03-03T07:03:00.000+08:00

Last night I fell asleep at around 9pm.. Or could be 8pm. I'm not sure.

I turned on the TV, American Idol was on. Got pretty disgusted at the performer, some whiny guy in a cap, so I switched the TV off again. Then I lay on the bed under my blanket and started reading a book.

No sermons about reading while lying down now. I've been doing it since I was a kid and I don't intend to change, dammit.

So anyway yea, I just knocked off. With the lights on and everything. Y'know, if I had a dime for each time that happened.. haha! Especially while studying for exams! "The inertia of an object is the force times the... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

Point is, I woke up at bloody 3am! And couldn't bloody get back to sleep again!

I know I've been trying to sleep earlier and wake up earlier in preparation for uni life, but this is just bloody ridiculous.

Right now I'm watching the sunrise. Or at least, watching the effects of the sunrise on the sky.. a slow reddening spreading across the heavens.. Like blood across the dancefloor. (Hmm where did that reference come from? Strange.)

Anyway yea this uncontrolled lazy aimless lifestyle of mine has got to change! I've been trying to exert discipline on it by tidying up my cupboards, desk, shelves, room, everything. So I'll only have the most hardworking objects (e.g. textbooks, literary classics, weights, gyroscope) at hand.

Though I'm still trying to garner up the mental fortitude required to move my TV (and XBox!!!) into the corner of my room.

Discpline, JD. You're a machine.

Someone call a repairman?

Starry Starry Night

2005-02-27T02:32:00.000+08:00

This morning I woke up and felt pretty good. Throat didn't hurt that much and i managed to eat nearly a whole bowl of mee kia! Shiok man.

After that I went to help my dad paint a mural at a primary school.

As some of you may know, both my parents are artists/art teachers.. my mom focuses on chinese brush painting and calligraphy, my dad does basically everything but does mainly calligraphy and oil painting.

Before you start thinking my parents managed to raise 3 kids and reach this moderately successful financial state through art, don't. My parents were both MOE teachers la, but retired now. Dad was trained in Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, so hes basically been an art teacher his entire life. Mom was a chinese teacher so hence the love of chinese culture.

Just that they're retired now so yea earn a bit of money in their free time doing what they enjoy lor.

This is by mom.

Can't remember who did this. Mom too, I think. Dad's better, though.

Dad did these charcoal sketches of my mom and my sis over a decade ago. In his free time, he used to be one of those artists who'd sit at orchard road and sketch people. Think he also illustrated a few children's books.

Anyway, today we worked on the mural. And I was profoundly impressed by my father.

I mean, I was always impressed by my parents' artistic ability, especially since I quite doubt I've inherited any of their skills.

But yea not only was the design pretty nice, my dad's painting skills, honed over the years, were also highly evident. He could do fine detailing with a damn thick brush, be it straight line or curve. In the meantime I was struggling to paint a thin straight line with a thin brush and masking tape as well.

Hai. I think I'll take up oil painting.. See if maybe theres any inherited latent talent, maybe.

I'll put up pics of the finished mural if I can!

Oh btw if anyone wants to commission a portrait of themselves (oil painting of course) or wants to buy chinese brush paintings or calligraphy or whatever, feel free to give me a call! Heh my parents would be glad to oblige, at a price of course. Lol.

Anyway uhh then I slept the afternoon away, cos I slept really late last night doing.. uhh. Hmm. Oh yea talking on the phone with when old friend I haven't talked to in awhile who happened to be in town.

Then at night I went with Yingmin to the Singapore International Dance Masters Competition (or something like that)! She had two free tickets cos she writes for 新明日报 (no idea if i wrote that correctly) and asked me along.

I wouldn't normally be interested, of course, but wah $200 a plate, for free! The cheapo in me couldn't resist.

And I don't really regret going! Quite an experience.

Had to wear a suit, which was pretty fun cos I haven't worn one in so long.

But the main thing is, the dancing! Most of them were pretty amazing. Especially the exhibition couples! Fwah.

The ballroom dancers are so graceful, so full of poise.. And damn cute when they're bouncing up and down dancing along to S Club 7's Reach for the Stars. Haha!

Oh thats a little complaint I have though. Who the hell chooses the competition songs? Why is there S Club 7? And Madonna's Die Another Day? Urgh I understand the desire to have contemporary tunes and more upbeat melodies, but can't they choose classier songs?

Oh and the latin dancers! Wah lau. Sexually charged, man. The passion was electric, I tell you.

I think I could never be with a dancer. So passionate, I scared, I scared.

Nonetheless, I'd really like to learn just the basics (and maybe a bit of the intermediates) of ballroom dancing.

If only to fulfill my dream of dancing cheek to cheek with the girl I love.

Y'know how there are some things that girls do that guys (or at least me) find irresistable?

Like a soulful singer (Joss Stone, Norah Jones, Diana Krall).

Or a canon-in-D-piano-playing girl a la Jeon Ji-Hyun in My Sassy Girl (yes i'm still in love with her).

Or a girl coming out of water like Denise Richards in Wild Things or Halle Berry in that forgettable James Bond flick.

Just kidding about the last one, la. Haha. Horny is not the same as irresistable.

Well maybe you can add a hot dancer to the list now.. heh.

Okay its late and I'm just rambling again.. Haha too bad My Damn Blog.

Taxed for stupidity

2005-02-25T20:32:00.000+08:00

Used a $50 dollar note to pay for a $6 magazine. Got $4 in change and DIDN'T NOTICE TILL I GOT HOME.

Bloody being taxed for stupidity.

I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot.

Are we old?

2005-02-24T22:29:00.000+08:00

I don't feel old, not yet anyway.

I think its largely because I'm still in the army (technically) and not in university yet. So theres still a buffer from me till the working world.

Nonetheless I guess its time to face up to the facts, that soon all of us will be hitting the "real world".

Running the rat race. Or maybe following Robert Kiyosaki's advice and trying to get out of it.

Some nights ago a friend greeted me on MSN with this panicked cry (sorry Grace) of "we're so old!!!", then launching into a discussion about how when we hit 25 or 26 we'll pass onto the next phase and start getting married and then we'll have kids and straying spouses and failing/broken marriages (hopefully not together) (the kids and the broken marriages i mean) and coming out of that we'll pass into the next phase where, touch wood, we may suffer from the prevalence of illness and diseases (chronic ones, like cancer, not hand-foot-mouth) and then our kids will be grown and we'll retire and though we may not like to think of it our parents will pass on and then soon we'll pass on too. And hopefully by then we'd have done something good in the world.

Much of the last paragraph was lifted from the MSN conversation la. So, thanks, Grace.

I liked the last bit. As some of you may know one of my favourite quotes comes from the Godfather (actually many of them do). Its when Don Vito Corleone dies of a heart attack while playing with his grandchildren in the garden. If i recall correctly, his last words (which were in the book, not in the movie) were something along the lines of "I lived a good life". Those are good last words to have.. No regrets, y'know?

Anyway. Many of you know how I'm always going on and on about practicality, studying things that would be useful, about how we have to plan our future out, career prospects and all. Okay, a lot of this is influence from the Brotherhood, especially Ben (thanks bro). But I truly feel its about time la.

Its really not that long before we have to start earning our keep, so to speak.

I'm lucky, I suppose. Barring unforeseen disasters, natural, economic or otherwise, I have whats essentially an iron rice bowl after I graduate.

But still I don't want to be complacent la. The world economy being the way it is today (not that I know much about it, except that it seems.. unstable) I don't really think anything is very secure.

So, yea. University is the last road to take before we enter the rat race.. Better make it a good lap.

Better try and shine.

No particular reason for this pic. Just a divider, really. Or maybe you can think of it as symbolising the transient nature of our lives.. how time flows..

P.S. For those of you who care, I'm still suffering from HFMD. Maybe I'm recovering but the ulcers and swollen tender tongue and sore throat still aren't letting me enjoy a decent meal. So as far as I'm concerned I'm should be in the ICU. Dammit la all I want is to eat that pack of BBQ Jack & Jill Chips I have downstairs without suffering. Urgh. Haven't had a decent meal in days. After I recover I'm so going to Brewerkz or Billy Bombers or something like that and getting a big fat unhealthy burger.

Oh yea, bitch, I'm gonna eat you all up.

And hey, heres a 100lb Welsh lady who ate a 11lb burger. Thats a 45kg woman eating 5kg of pure unhealthy goodness. 6lbs of meat. "Quarter-pounders? I scoff at you." Now thats my kinda chick. With her by my side, McDonalds and Burger Kings of the world shall fear us.

Whining like a girl

2005-02-22T01:37:00.000+08:00

Y'know, this blog sure has a lot of me whining in it. Initially was me whining about my operation, now its me whining about my HFMD.

If any prospective girlfriend reads my blog I think she'll be quite turned off! Haha!

But seriously. Is this considered as whining? I know its not exactly bravado/boasting but I'm not really whining right.

Maybe just complaining la haha but well I'm the sucker afflicted with a children's disease.

Anyway yea its confirmed, just saw a doctor, its HFMD. MOH probably has my name and address down now.

Maybe funky antiviral troopers will storm my house in 10 seconds and smog it out to prevent an outbreak.

*waits 10 seconds*

Or maybe not.

Well the doctor says my tongue looks quite bad, but the ulcers on the gums and mouth look like they're only beginning to break out, so it'll probably get worse.

Hai.

So standby for more whining over the next week.

Anyway I was looking around all the digital photos I have (which is not a lot, dammit all you ppl whom i've asked to pass me photos, pass me leh) and I found this:

JD and JW in a face-off.

Find it extremely amusing. Sort of poseurish. But still. Man I miss those RI days.

Tongue pain cannot eat

2005-02-21T00:04:00.000+08:00

As promised, pics from Nel's party. I was actually hoping for pictures of the pink & black decor, the black & pink decor which we worked pseudohard to do. But didn't see any, so :p

My RJ Class! Part of it anyway. 2002:2SO3I!

Smaller part of my RJ Class! If you could see my hands then you'll see the hot pink wristband I was wearing.. lol.

I've kind of lost touch with most of my RJ ex-classmates, except Kev & Nel and a few others. Hope that'll change, lah. I promise to go for the next class outing I know about, barring unforeesen circumstances.

I'm supposed to go for a EODCC course dinner tmr at Taka. But hmm I think I shouldn't la, given my HFMD condition. I wouldn't want to infect poor children I happen to walk past or something. Anyway they're having Seoul Garden and I think my poor tongue would punish me if I punished it with chao4 tah1 meats.

Went for a family dinner just now at Crystal Jade Taka. Very depressing to have all that good food placed in front of me and me not able to enjoy it.

"Roast goose? Sharksfin?" "Tongue pain, had enough, thank you =("

Oh a funny thing happened just now when we were driving to Taka. My mother was kind enough to bottle me some home cooked barley water, to sooth my inflamed (pardon spelling) tongue.

However, mothers being mothers, she insisted I drink it immediately la. So she asked my dad (who was driving) to stop for awhile.

Once he stopped, I uncapped the thermos and brought it to my lips.

Whereupon, of course, my dad decides that we've stopped long enough and stomps on the accelerator.

*SPLOOSH*

15 minutes later, JD is walking around Taka with wet patches on his chest, stomach and groin.

Like a big drooling baby who wet himself.

I think I freaked out the Basement 1 Gent's Restroom users with my acrobatics in front of the hand drying machine, trying to get all the wetness in the path of hot dry air.

Well, anyway. The next few days I'm going to subsist on oatmeal and porridge. Well, looking on the bright side, maybe I'll lose some weight.

Anyway my family members think me and my brother are nua3 for catching a children's disease.. Haha.

Can't say thats not true, unfortunately. Being on MC for months and not being able to exercise takes something out of you.

Hmm but I hope to be able to exercise from next month on! And should I get a tan, maybe? Haha. I used to want to, until I realised it'd prob hurt my relatively good complexion. Aiyah maybe I should stop being vain haha.

But at least I don't pluck my eyebrows! Heh.

Well I'm rediscovering webcomics! Heres two of my favourite local ones.

My fave online comic! Of course, I'm biased cos she plays music. I'm a sucker for girl musicians.

Louis sent me this link today. I think its the funniest local webcomic I've seen aside from Joyce's. Doesn't matter if you agree or not la I'm sure you'll think its at least not bad.

Enjoy.

HFMD and apologies

2005-02-20T17:26:00.000+08:00

Last week Tammy was diagnosed with Hand Foot Mouth Disease, and soon after, Tristen began showing symptoms as well.

For those of you who don't know, basically its a viral infection due to some viruses of the enterovirus group. Possibly coxsackievirus A16. It usually affects only young children, main symptoms being fever, sores in the mouth, rash with blisters on the hands and feet.

For the past few days I've been having a sore throat and some ear pains, which I attributed to heatiness. I usually felt better after taking strepsils and lots of fluids, so yea I didn't think much of it la.

Besides, Tristen and Tammy were recovering well, and I didn't think there was much chance of me catching it la, especially since I didn't play with them all that much recently.

In fact, I joked about how I may be a carrier for HFMD to a number of friends. Not that anyone was scared la, it being a disease for small children anyway.

BUT THEN.

*sinister music*

This morning I woke up with a severely sore throat, tender tongue and a lot of ulcers. Little red raised bumps on my palms and the soles of my feet. Kinda itchy.

"AIYAH DIE LAH" was the first words out of my mouth this beautiful sunny morning.

Over the breakfast table (or lunch, rather, I woke up at 11pm) my brother told me that he just got back from the doctor. He was diagnosed with HFMD too!

So yea that basically means I'm screwed.

And since I've been relatively active the past week, meeting people and stuff, I'm afraid I may have been, y'know, spreading the virus.

I'm really really sorry if any of you catch it. Really. I think its quite unlikely la but you never know.

Grace thinks its quite funny that I went to a birthday party last night la (sorry Nel), but after thinking about it for awhile I actually think its not so funny if I unwittingly cos an outbreak in SMUAccounting or NUSMed or something.

So ya la. Irregardless of the likelihood of catching the virus from me, I suggest any of you who have met me recently should at least stay away from young children for a week or so. Just in case.

Sorry..

P.S At least the strain that my family is infected with seems to be quite mild! No one, including the children, has had fevers. But I think HFMD is good for a week of MC so any of you looking to chao keng can come visit us now! Haha.